Men’s lacrosse head coach Joe Amplo left Marquette Wednesday to become the next head coach at the Naval Academy.
Amplo’s departure comes after a disappointing 2019 season for the Golden Eagles. The team went 6-8 overall and missed the conference tournament in a year with multiple off-the-field problems as well.
Players found out in a conference call 30 minutes before the Naval Academy’s announcement, per Marquette Athletics spokesperson Mike Wittliff.
Amplo is the only head coach in program history, taking the program to two NCAA Tournament appearances and two BIG EAST titles in eight seasons as head coach.
“I am forever grateful to Marquette University, the people who believed in me, and the players who fought so tirelessly to build a nationally-recognized program,” Amplo said in an interview with Inside Lacrosse.
The Hofstra University graduate has coached six players to USILA All-American status and had 13 players drafted in professional lacrosse leagues. In his time at MU, Amplo amassed a 52-53 overall record, going 18-13 in BIG EAST play.
Wittliff said executive associate athletic director Danielle Josetti has already started the coaching search. Wittliff said it “is expected to move quickly.”
Associate head coach Stephen Brundage and assistant coach Jake Richard are still on staff, but Wittliff said there will not be an interim head coach until the coaching search is complete.
