Coaching Staff
Connor Bishop '17 | Assistant Coach
FIL veteran A.J. Smith joined Tim Marshall's staff as lead assistant in the fall of 2018.
Smith, who competed for Team France in the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships, came to SU after two seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia Wesleyan. A 2011 VWU grad, Smith has also coached at Ferrum College and DII Adams (Colorado) State in addition to his two seasons with the Marlins.
Playing in the Green pool along with Germany and Korea, Smith helped Team France to four wins and had four goals and three assists as a long pole defender. Included in this total is a hat trick in a 16-6 victory over Russia and he was later named as Team MVP for the French national squad.
During his coaching career, Smith has mentored 10 All-league honorees, two players of the year and one honorable mention All-America. During his time at Ferrum, he helped lead the Panthers to 2015 and 2016 SEILC championships.
Smith holds Level 1 and Level 2 CEP certifications from US Lacrosse and is US Lacrosse HTMPC certified.
With the Hornets, Smith is involved in all aspects of the program including practice and game management, opponent scouting and academic mentoring.
Brett Holmes | Assistant Coach
Former standout Brett Holmes returns to the program for his fourth season as an assistant coach.
Holmes played four years of lacrosse for the Hornets as a goalkeeper while also participating in football and men's tennis.
He is involved in all on-field aspects of the program and also volunteers with the women's lacrosse program.
Ryan Beck | Volunteer Assistant Coach
Veteran lacrosse coach Ryan Beck joined the Shenandoah University men's lacrosse staff in August, 2021 as a volunteer assistant coach.
Beck, who played collegiately at Cortland (N.Y.) State, came to SU after serving for one year as the director of lacrosse operations at the Powhatan School in Boyce, Virginia,
Prior to that experience, he was an assistant coach at his alma mater in 2019 and 2020. With the Red Dragons, he worked with the defense and goalies as well as the faceoff middies.
Beck also was the associate head coach at Oakdale (Md.) High School for two years after spending four years (two as head coach) at Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia.
Beck got his start as a high school coach at JEB Stuart High School (now Justice H.S.) in northern Virginia and also worked at St. John's High School in Washington, D.C.
With the Hornets, Beck will be involved in all aspects of the program including practice and game planning, player development, and recruiting.