By Jim Wrobel
Special to GoHolyCross.com
Judd Lattimore was named the head coach of the men's lacrosse program at Holy Cross on May 24. He brings a wealth of experience to the program including being a part of five programs that have made it to the NCAA Tournament. Lattimore spent the last two seasons as the top assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania. Penn went 11-4 in 2014 including winning the Ivy League Tournament championship and earning the No. 4 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. He was also an assistant coach at Michigan, Bucknell, North Carolina and Delaware. A native of Auburn, N.Y., Lattimore graduated from North Carolina in 2001 as he was a two-year starter for the Tar Heels.
Lattimore talked to GoHolyCross.com about his coaching philosophy and how excited he is to be at Holy Cross.
GoHolyCross: Can you describe your coaching style.
Judd Lattimore: Personally I like to play a fun brand of lacrosse that is player driven and will be exciting for fans to watch. I also like to accentuate the strengths of our players.
GoHolyCross: What do you look for in a student-athlete when you are recruiting?
Lattimore: I am looking for the type of student-athletes that can appreciate the academics at Holy Cross and embrace the culture of the school. We are also looking for athletes that can play lacrosse at a high level.
GoHolyCross: What are your thoughts on the Patriot League?
Lattimore: The Patriot League is a tremendous conference with a lot of fantastic teams. The league has great schools and lacrosse programs. The conference is also made up of outstanding coaches. It is a tough conference and every team we play in the Patriot League will be competitive.
GoHolyCross: As an assistant coach you have been to the NCAA Tournament with five different programs. What can you take from that experience to lead to success at Holy Cross?
Lattimore: I think that experience I have had with teams that have made it to the NCAA Tournament was that the culture was very strong. Also senior leadership was very important on those teams and I will expect that from our seniors here at Holy Cross.
GoHolyCross: What can Holy Cross fans expect from a Judd Lattimore coached team?
Lattimore: Holy Cross fans can expect a disciplined team that will be fun to watch. A team that plays an exciting style of lacrosse that wants to compete for and play for Patriot League and NCAA championships consistently.
GoHolyCross: What makes Holy Cross a special place for you to be the coach?
Lattimore: I believe the culture here at Holy Cross, and the history and tradition of the athletic program is tremendous. To be a part of that is a very neat thing for me personally.
GoHolyCross: What type of programs would you like to play in your non-conference schedule?
Lattimore: To be able to compete at a high level you need to play the best teams. I feel that is the best way to be able to compete nationally.
You can follow Holy Cross Athletics on Twitter @GoHolyCross. You can also follow the men's lacrosse team on twitter @HolyCrossMLax, facebook and instagram.
