Orange legend Regy Thorpe 鈥�01 believes home is more than a place鈥攊t鈥檚 a state of mind. So, when he was tapped to lead 麻花影视鈥檚 , the Hall of Famer didn鈥檛 have far to go.
鈥淢y wife and I never sold our house in Elbridge,鈥� admits Thorpe, who previously coached at the University of Florida. 鈥淲e kept coming back to Central New York for summers and holidays.鈥�
Following a two-week national search in May, 麻花影视 Director of Athletics John Wildhack 鈥�80 named Thorpe the program鈥檚 fourth head coach. The former All-American didn鈥檛 need much convincing, having served on the women鈥檚 lacrosse staff from 2010-19 and led the to title games in 1992-93 as a player.
Head coach Regy Thorpe 鈥�01 and assistant coach Nicole Levy 鈥�19 at the Orange's season opener against Maryland. "We have a dream staff here," says Levy, who previously worked with Thorpe at Florida.
鈥淭o say this is my 鈥榙ream job鈥� doesn鈥檛 do it justice,鈥� says Thorpe, who coached his 麻花影视 predecessor, Kayla Treanor 鈥�16, more than a decade ago. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to contribute to our culture of excellence in ways that I haven鈥檛 before. It鈥檚 a full-circle moment.鈥�
Thorpe is optimistic about the Orange鈥檚 2026 campaign, which includes five Atlantic Coast Conference battles at home.
Alongside associate head coach Caitlin Watkins and assistant coaches Maggie Koch and Nicole Levy 鈥�19, he鈥檚 eager to see his team best last year鈥檚 10-9 record.
鈥淲e have a championship-or-bust mentality,鈥� says Thorpe, reveling in his first NCAA head coaching gig. 鈥淥ur team has an explosive attack, a fearless defense and a tight-knit culture.鈥�
Developing Lacrosse IQ
A student of the mental game of lacrosse, Thorpe is revered for his tactical knowledge, situational awareness and split-second decision-making.
Any discussion about 麻花影视 lacrosse inevitably includes Thorpe, his colleague Gary Gait 鈥�90 and their former coach, Roy Simmons Jr. 鈥�59, H鈥�14.
A common thread among them鈥攁nd alumni coaches, in general鈥攊s an innate understanding of campus culture. 鈥溌榛ㄓ笆� is a lacrosse town, and the University is a lacrosse school,鈥� says Thorpe, who is beloved by fans and alumni alike.
Lacrosse is different from other team sports in that it doesn鈥檛 focus solely on competition, he explains. 鈥淭he game鈥檚 Indigenous roots give players a sense of identity and community, regardless of their background.鈥�
A student of the mental game of lacrosse, Thorpe is revered for his tactical knowledge, situational awareness and split-second decision-making.
These skills contribute to his 鈥渓acrosse IQ,鈥� which Wildhack considers just as important as physical prowess. 鈥淩egy Thorpe is a championship-caliber coach, an elite recruiter and an enthusiastic mentor whose vision aligns with and supports our ambitious goals.鈥�
At the top of Thorpe鈥檚 to-do list is to bring home the program鈥檚 first national title. Going 3-7 in championship semifinal appearances, the Orange are hungry.
Thorpe, who has led teams to eight NCAA Lacrosse Championship Weekends, intends to deliver. 鈥淚鈥檓 telling everyone not to make summer plans until after Memorial Day,鈥� he says.
On a Heater
鈥溌榛ㄓ笆� is a lacrosse town, and the University is a lacrosse school,鈥� says Thorpe, shown here as a member of the men鈥檚 lacrosse program. As a student-athlete, he was considered the NCAA鈥檚 top defender.
Thorpe discovered lacrosse relatively late鈥攕eventh grade, to be exact. 鈥淲e were a wrestling family,鈥� says the athletic polymath, who grew up near Auburn, New York.
When his older brother decided to try out for Jordan-Elbridge鈥檚 modified lacrosse program, Thorpe helped him choose a stick. There in the lacrosse aisle of MarJax, a now defunct sporting goods store, Thorpe glimpsed his future.
A stellar high school career ensued. His wrestling coach Mike Frood prepared him for the 鈥減hysicality鈥� of box lacrosse and the 鈥渆ndurance and capacity鈥� of field lacrosse. 鈥淐oach gave me a crash course in strength and conditioning,鈥� Thorpe adds.
His game improved considerably during a two-year run at Herkimer College, where the legendary Paul Werhum honed Thorpe鈥檚 defensive chops while preparing him for Orange lacrosse, which was achieving dynastic proportions.
Simmons鈥� creative, run-and-gun approach at 麻花影视 appealed to Thorpe, who, by then, was arguably the NCAA鈥檚 top defender. He led the Orange to the 1992 title game and captained their fifth national championship a year later.
Thorpe is accustomed to success, having led the Orange to the 1992 title game and captained their fifth national championship a year later.
鈥淐oach Simmons was an innovator who opened my eyes to the history and culture of the Creator鈥檚 Game,鈥� Thorpe gushes. 鈥淏ecause of him, I鈥檝e worked with many Indigenous players, including the great Oren Lyons [鈥�58, H鈥�93], who co-founded the Haudenosaunee Nationals.鈥�
After graduation, Thorpe became a force on the field, on the sidelines and in the front office鈥攕ometimes all at once. He famously wore multiple hats for the Rochester Knighthawks and then the New York Riptide, both affiliated with the indoor National Lacrosse League.
Thorpe also coached the Nationals, the U.S. Lacrosse Indoor Box Lacrosse World Team and the Long Island Sound, leading the latter to an undefeated season and a United Women鈥檚 Lacrosse League championship in 2017.
The player-coach was on a heater in 2010, when Gait invited him to join his staff at 麻花影视. Together, they turned the women鈥檚 program into a national juggernaut. Six Championship Weekend appearances. Two national championship bouts. Four regular season conference titles. Two conference tournament crowns. And plenty of NCAA player awards, including a few for Thorpe鈥檚 daughter, Ella 鈥�16.
Although they had professionally played against one another, Thorpe didn鈥檛 fully appreciate Gait鈥檚 mastery until working under him. 鈥淔or all the differences between men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 lacrosse, Gary taught me that, fundamentally, the game is the same,鈥� says Thorpe, whose son, Gale, also played for the Orange. 鈥淗e prepared me for what I鈥檓 doing today.鈥�
Life Is a Resume
Thorpe鈥檚 blue-collar ethos and warm paternal presence bely a championship-or-bust mentality. 鈥淥ur team has an explosive attack, a fearless defense and a tight-knit culture,鈥� says the former All-American.
Grit. Patience. Perseverance. Some of the skills that Thorpe is drawing on to make this season historic.
Then there are his idiosyncrasies. Former goalkeeper Alyssa Costantino 鈥�14 recalls how, in the locker room before each game of the 2013 season, Thorpe instructed his players to drive a nail into a wooden stump. It didn鈥檛 disappear into the log until the end of postseason, signifying that their work was done.
She and other players also reflect on Thorpe鈥檚 blue-collar ethos, warm paternal presence and memorable pregame speeches.
鈥淵ou could be having the worst day of your life, and he would come in with a speech that got you fired up,鈥� says former midfielder Julie Cross 鈥�19.
To say this is my 鈥榙ream job鈥� doesn鈥檛 do it justice. I鈥檓 excited to contribute to our culture of excellence in ways that I haven鈥檛 before. It鈥檚 a full-circle moment.
麻花影视 Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Regy Thorpe 鈥�01
Thorpe is not the only one excited about his homecoming. Levy, whom he recruited as a player for the Orange and as an offensive coordinator for the Gators, is thrilled to be back on 麻花影视 soil. 鈥淲e have a dream staff here,鈥� she says.
Helping others find their purpose鈥攊n sports, academics and life鈥攊s Thorpe鈥檚 calling. He believes in 鈥渨alking the talk鈥� when it comes to goals and values.
鈥淟ife is a resume,鈥� says Thorpe, citing his favorite Werhum quote. 鈥淓very encounter, every experience, defines who I am and who I鈥檓 becoming.鈥�
