UMBC Brings Mike Faith Home as New Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County has found the next leader of its women’s lacrosse program, and it is a familiar face. UMBC announced the hiring of Mike Faith as its new head coach, bringing back a coach with deep ties to Retriever athletics and one of the most accomplished resumes in collegiate women’s lacrosse.
Faith returns to Catonsville after more than two decades as a head coach, compiling over 300 career victories across the NCAA Division II and Division III levels. His coaching journey has included successful stops at Franklin & Marshall, Millersville, and Stevenson, where he most recently guided the Mustangs to a 10-win season.
For Retriever fans, Faith is far from a newcomer. He previously served as an assistant coach at UMBC and helped the program reach its only two NCAA Division I Tournament appearances in 2002 and 2003. His return gives the Retrievers a coach who already understands the university’s culture and expectations.
UMBC Director of Athletics Tiffany D. Tucker praised the hire, noting that Faith’s history of building winning programs and developing student-athletes made him the standout candidate throughout the search process. Faith said returning to UMBC is a “full-circle moment” and expressed his excitement about leading the Retrievers into a new era.
Faith’s resume is among the strongest of any coach entering the America East Conference. During his highly successful tenure at Franklin & Marshall, he transformed the Diplomats into a perennial national contender, leading the program to multiple NCAA Division III Final Four appearances and numerous conference championships while compiling nearly 200 victories there alone.
The hiring comes after UMBC finished the 2026 season with a 7-8 overall record and reached the America East semifinals before falling to eventual conference champion Vermont. While the Retrievers have been competitive in recent seasons, the program now hopes Faith’s proven ability to build championship-caliber teams can help elevate UMBC into regular conference title contention and eventually return the Retrievers to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in more than two decades.
MSB Analysis
This is a significant hire for UMBC.
Rather than taking a chance on an up-and-coming assistant, the Retrievers landed a coach with an extensive track record of winning, player development, and postseason success. Faith also knows the Baltimore-area lacrosse landscape as well as anyone, which should immediately strengthen UMBC’s recruiting efforts in one of the nation’s premier hotbeds for the sport.
The America East has become increasingly competitive, with programs such as Vermont, UAlbany, and Bryant consistently battling for conference championships. Faith’s experience and reputation give UMBC an opportunity to close that gap and build sustained success.
If Faith can combine his winning pedigree with strong recruiting in Maryland, the Retrievers could become one of the conference’s most dangerous programs over the next several seasons.
