Carthage Adding NCAA Intercollegiate Lacrosse; David Neff Hired as Lacrosse Coach
Carthage College director of athletics Robert Bonn announced that the school will launch NCAA intercollegiate lacrosse programs for the men in the spring of 2009 and for the women in the spring of 2010. David Neff has been hired as the coach for both teams, and he will begin work on Sept. 1, 2007.
“Carthage's commitment to lacrosse is an exciting opportunity for both the Carthage and the lacrosse community,” said Neff. “I am excited to join the Carthage family, and I’m honored to be a part of launching this program.” “Coach Neff combines a real passion for the sport with an incredible knowledge with all levels of lacrosse in the Midwest,” said Bonn. “I am very confident that we will develop first-class men’s and women’s lacrosse programs for Carthage in the very near future.”
As of the 2007-08 academic year, 140 NCAA Division III institution sponsor men’s varsity lacrosse, with 169 sponsoring women’s lacrosse. For the moment, the Ohio-based North Coast Athletic Conference is the nearest league to sponsor the sport. In the Midwest, the only current varsity programs are at Adrian College in Adrian, Mich., Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Mo., and Tri-State University in Angola, Ind. All three lacrosse program play as independents.
Neff served as the coach of the Benedictine University (Ill.) club team in 2007, as well as an assistant coach for Team Illinois in both 2006 and 2007. From 2005 to 2006, he coached the club team at St. Charles High School in St. Charles, Ill. Prior to that, he coached the club team at Nequa Valley High School in Naperville, Ill., from 2000 to 2004 and was named the Illinois High School Lacrosse Association “Coach of the Year” in 2002.
Neff received a bachelor’s in finance from the University of Illinois in 1995 and a master’s in business administration, also from Illinois, in 1998. Neff was a member of the Illini club lacrosse team and a 1997 United State Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association all-star. He has been active in several Chicago-area summer camps, including Lacrosse America youth clinics. His father, John Neff, graduated from Carthage in 1963 and was a 1997 inductee into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.