Copelan Named Premier Lacrosse League Coach of the Year

Andrew “Andy” Copelan, Head Coach of the Greenwich Country Day School Boys Varsity Lacrosse team as well as for the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) Team—the Waterdogs—was named the PLL 2021 Coach of the Year on Friday.

In order to be considered for this award, coaches must first be nominated by PLL players, team staff, and fellow coaches. Following the preliminary nominations, the media, PLL front office, and PLL Advisory Board then vote to select the award recipient. Honorees enjoyed a celebration at the awards ceremony held on Friday, September 17 in Washington, D.C.

“Individual awards in a team sport really are team awards,” said Copelan. “Great players make coaches look good, and great assistant coaches make the head coach look good. I am fortunate to have both.”

Adam Rohdie, GCDS Head of School, expressed his excitement for Copelan as both a PLL and GCDS Tigers Athletics lacrosse coach.

“It is truly incredible that the coach of the year in the professional lacrosse league is also our head lacrosse coach! The young men on our team have already received remarkable skills training and insights from Coach Copelan. After a couple of challenging seasons due to the pandemic, I am so looking forward to seeing him coach his first full season; the team is going to have a great year. I know the whole GCDS community joins me in congratulating Coach Copelan on this achievement.”

GCDS Athletic Director Tim Helstein also sent his congratulations to Coach Copelan.

“I cannot think of someone more deserving of this award. He devotes his heart and soul into both the game and the boys. Andy brings the best out of his players, and they do everything to give their best to him. I’m not just talking about skill. I’m talking about comradery, unity, determination, and focus. Those who play for him don’t just become better lacrosse players, they become better people,” said Helstein. “To hear the way his players speak about him as a coach and mentor is all the proof you need to see why he was selected as the PLL Coach of the Year.”

The honor is the latest addition to Copelan’s list of accolades, which includes a 2018 induction into the US Lacrosse Rochester Chapter Hall of Fame, and four Patriot League titles as an athlete at Bucknell. Prior to joining the Waterdogs, Copelan coached college lacrosse for sixteen years, including 11 years as the head coach of the Fairfield University Men’s Lacrosse team (2008-2019). In addition, Copelan served as the assistant coach at the University of Maryland for two years (2006-2008), and led Marist College to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2005 as their head coach (2004-2006).

“To coach with and against the best players in the world has been a lot of fun. I love what the PLL is doing for lacrosse and for the future of our sport,” said Copelan.