UMBC Hires James Purpura as New Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach

by Brian Hradsky · July 16, 2026

UMBC Hires James Purpura as New Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County has found the next leader of one of its flagship athletic programs.

UMBC Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation Tiffany D. Tucker announced Tuesday that James Purpura has been named the new head coach of the Retrievers men’s lacrosse program. Purpura arrives in Catonsville after serving as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Ohio State and brings nearly two decades of coaching experience at every level of Division I lacrosse.

The hire represents a major move for UMBC as the Retrievers look to return to the top of the America East Conference and make another run at the NCAA Tournament.

A Rising Coach Returns to Lead His Own Program

Purpura spent the 2026 season at Ohio State, where he coordinated one of the Buckeyes’ most productive offenses while overseeing recruiting. Before joining the Buckeyes, he served as the head coach at VMI, where he inherited a rebuilding program and steadily improved the Keydets through player development and recruiting.

His coaching résumé also includes assistant coaching stops at:

Ohio State
Virginia Military Institute
Dartmouth
Bryant
Hobart

In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Purpura played goalkeeper at Ohio State, giving him firsthand experience competing at the highest level of Division I lacrosse.

Excited to Lead Retriever Nation

During UMBC’s official announcement, Purpura expressed his excitement about taking over one of the nation’s respected lacrosse programs.

“I cannot tell you how excited I am to become the next head coach of UMBC Men’s Lacrosse. I have always followed the program from afar, and the opportunity to lead such a proud program is a tremendous honor.”

Athletic Director Tiffany D. Tucker praised Purpura’s leadership ability, player development, and vision for the future, saying the search committee was impressed with his experience developing student-athletes on and off the field.

Taking Over a Proud Program

Although the Retrievers have experienced ups and downs in recent years, UMBC remains one of the most accomplished men’s lacrosse programs in the America East Conference.

Program accomplishments include:

1980 NCAA Division II National Champions
14 NCAA Tournament appearances
11 conference championships
Four America East Tournament championships
Historic NCAA Tournament victories over Maryland and other nationally ranked opponents
Numerous All-Americans and professional lacrosse players

The program most recently captured the America East championship in 2025 before undergoing a coaching change this summer. Purpura now inherits a roster capable of competing immediately while looking to establish long-term success.

Recruiting Will Be a Priority

One of Purpura’s biggest strengths throughout his coaching career has been recruiting.

At every stop, he has helped identify and develop high-level Division I talent. His relationships throughout Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio should immediately benefit the Retrievers.

With Maryland continuing to produce some of the nation’s best high school lacrosse players, keeping local talent home will likely become a major emphasis under the new coaching staff.

What the Retrievers Can Expect

Purpura’s teams have built a reputation for:

Fast-paced offensive play
Strong player development
Aggressive recruiting
High academic standards
Tough, disciplined defensive fundamentals
Building strong locker-room culture

Those qualities align well with UMBC’s tradition of developing student-athletes who compete for conference championships while succeeding in the classroom.

MSB Analysis

This looks like an outstanding hire for UMBC.

Rather than selecting a first-time head coach, the Retrievers landed someone who has already been a Division I head coach and most recently helped guide one of the Big Ten’s premier programs. Purpura also brings valuable recruiting connections throughout the Mid-Atlantic, an area UMBC must continue to capitalize on if it hopes to challenge conference powers each season.

The America East remains one of the nation’s most competitive mid-major lacrosse conferences, but the Retrievers have the facilities, history, and tradition to compete for championships. Hiring a coach with both head coaching experience and Power Four assistant experience gives UMBC an excellent opportunity to return to national relevance.

If Purpura can recruit Maryland’s deep pool of high school talent while maintaining the offensive creativity he displayed at Ohio State, Retriever Nation could once again be celebrating conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in the near future.

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