Holy Cross Names Justin Hager Assistant Men’s Lacrosse Coach

WORCESTER, Mass.­ – The College of the Holy Cross has named former Mercer assistant coach and 2009 Hobart graduate Justin Hager as an assistant men’s lacrosse coach, as announced by head coach Jim Morrissey and athletic director Richard M. Regan, Jr. Hager will serve as the defensive coordinator and recruiting director.

“I am pleased to announce Justin Hager as the new men’s assistant lacrosse coach at Holy Cross,” said Morrissey, who was an assistant coach at Hobart during Hager’s sophomore and junior seasons at the school. “Justin is going to have an immediate positive impact on our program with his strong interpersonal skills, work ethic and experience as a defensive coordinator at the Division I level. Having coached Justin at Hobart College for two seasons, I know what type of player he was and the type of leader that he is. I am thrilled to have him lead our defense and am really looking forward to watching him grow and progress as a coach.”

Hager spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons as an assistant coach at Mercer as the Bears fielded the school’s inaugural varsity men’s lacrosse team. Hager was the team’s defensive coordinator and was also the recruiting director.

Hager was a two-sport athlete at Hobart, starring on its NCAA Division I lacrosse team, as well as its Division III football team. In lacrosse, Hager was Hobart’s team captain for the 2009 season and started all 14 games his senior year, while tallying 13 starts his junior year as a defender. Hager also played Can-Am Indoor Box Lacrosse as he was a member of the Seneca Allegany Reservation Arrows Lacrosse Team from 2005-2009.

In football, Hager led the Liberty League in tackles for his junior and senior seasons, including 134 tackles in 2008, which set a school record at Hobart for tackles in a season. Hager holds the Hobart record for tackles in a game with 21 stops against Carnegie Mellon. He was named the 2008 Liberty League Player of the Year and earned 2008 second team All-American honors. His career totals include 288 tackles, which ranks second all-time at Hobart.

Hager is a graduate of Salamanca High School in Salamanca, N.Y., and was a three-sport athlete, lettering in lacrosse, football and wrestling. In lacrosse he lead Salamanca to its first-ever Section 6 Class “C” Championship. He was named first-team Class C All-State and Big 30 Defensive Player of the Year in football in 2004. He also rushed for nearly 1,000 yards as a senior.

Hager was a Political Science major and graduated from Hobart in 2009. He then earned a master’s degree in Education from Mercer in 2011.

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