Head Coach Marc Paolini
Hired to be the Huskies Defensive Coordinator in 2012 the UConn defense has seen marked improvement during Coach Paolini’s tenure. He has produced multiple Defensive All-Conference Players, Defensive Players of the Year and All-Americans. Under Paolini UConn teams have consistently ranked near the top of the conference in Goals Against Average, highlighted by a 2013 season where the Huskies only allowed one opponent to score double digits in 14 games.
A defensive standout at Daniel Hand High School located in Madison, CT as well as a team captain and three year starter, Paolini went on to coach his alma mater where he would be named Associate Head Coach. During Paolini's tenure at Daniel Hand the Tigers enjoyed several standout seasons including a 2006 team that went 20-2 and was ranked number two in the state.
Paolini was promoted to Head Coach in 2015 after Head Coach Paul Scordato stepped down after four seasons.
"I hope to build upon the work of Coach Scordato and continue to make our team something the alumni and university can be proud of,” said Paolini. "What the team did this past season was historic. We want to continue that success and turn it into a standard that we work towards every season."
Assistant Coach John O'Leary
John O’Leary joined the UConn Men's Lacrosse team for the 2011-12 season as the offensive coordinator. Before joining UConn, O’Leary was the offensive coordinator for two seasons at Bacon Academy.
Coach O’Leary has led the Huskies offense while also assisting with the face-off unit. In 2015, UConn won their first ever PCLL conference tournament title and made their first ever appearance in the 16 team MCLA National Championship that was held in Southern California.
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, O’Leary brings several years of camp instruction to the team from both Team 203 and Progression Lacrosse in Connecticut. He has served as the Assistant Director of lacrosse at the Greylock sports camp in Becket, MA where he was responsible for running all aspects of an eight-week summer program. He has also served as the Head Coach for the north squad twice in the Nutmeg State Games leading players from Glastonbury, West Hartford, and Newington to the Silver and Bronze medals.
Prior to coaching at UConn, O’Leary was a four-year starter on attack at St. Anselm’s College, compiling 92 goals and 127 points in his career placing him fifth all-time. A standout player, O’Leary led Saint Anselm to their best season on record his junior year when the team went 11-3. The Hawks advanced to their first ever NE-10 Conference Final Four appearance that same season. He was a two-time NE-10 All-Conference selection and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Saint Anselm along with an MBA in International Business from the University of Hartford.
John O’Leary comes from a strong family of lacrosse: his younger brother, Brian, was also a two-time NE-10 All-Conference selection on attack at St. Anselm’s College who remains the all-time leader in assists with 152 and is second all-time in career points with 210. O’Leary is an adjunct faculty member at Post University and currently resides in Glastonbury with his wife Sarah and their daughter Ellie.
Assistant Coach Jeff Lombardo
First year Head Coach Marc Paolini has announced the hiring of Jeff Lombardo as assistant coach. Coach Lombardo is currently the head coach at Avon High School, he will maintain those duties while also working with the UConn program. Coach Lombardo and Coach Paolini have a long
history, having coached together at Daniel Hand High School from 2004-2012 as Head Coach and Associate Head Coach, respectively.
Since 2008 Coach Lombardo's teams have made the Connecticut HS State Championship tournament every year. He has coached multiple All-State and All-Conference players and his athletes have gone on to play at schools such as Syracuse, Sienna, Michigan and Qunnipiac.
"Coach Lombardo and I worked together at Hand for almost a decade," said Paolini, "he understands our way of coaching as well as anyone. He gets it...there are a lot of guys that understand this game but not all of them know what it takes to win. He has that combination. He knows our vision for this program and how to help us get there.
