Ryan O'Hagan will help man the sidelines for Mercyhurst men's lacrosse for an eighth year in 2023-24. Before coming to the Lakers he spent two seasons as an assistant at Colby, where he worked with the defense and served as recruiting coordinator for the Mules.
2023 was a year in which the Lakers made their way to the National Championship for the first time since 2013, going 16-3 overall while holding a 6-1 record in GMAC play. The team started with four consecutive wins to begin the year with a 16-13 over then-ranked #6 Wingate. They ended the regular season as well as they had started, outscoring opponents 65-24 in their last three games. They began postseason play with a 22-8 win over Lake Erie in the GMAC Semifinals before defeating Seton Hill in the conference championships to claim their first GMAC title since 2021. They continued to roll from there, defeating both St. Anselm and Le Moyne in the NCAA Tournament to make an appearance in the National Championship. The Lakers had 11 players named to an All-GMAC team with the Offensive Player, Defensive Player, and Specialist of the Year on the roster. They added several more accolades with eight USILAAll-Region honors and nine USILA All-American honors including the National Player of the Year in Shawn Doran.
The 2022 season in which the Lakers once again looked to compete for a national championship. They started out the year with close losses to Wingate and Le Moyne, who were ranked #1 and #2 at the time, before ripping of an eight-game winning steak that would help them clinch the GMAC Regular Season Title. They would eventually fall to Seton Hill in the GMAC Championship game before squaring off with the Griffins again in the Opening Round of the NCAA Tournament. Their, the Lakers would fall in heartbreaking fashion, 7-8. The Lakers would have 13 players honored with GMAC All-Conference Honors as well as nine who were named to USILA All-Region Teams. Seven additional Lakers were made USILA All-Americans including Braden McCard who was named the National Short Stick Defensive Midfielder of the Year.
In 2020, he helped the Lakers to a 5-0 start and a number two ranking in Division II, before having the season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. O'Hagan had the Mercyhurst defense ranked eighth nationally allowing just 7.2 goals per game. From that defense two players Will Agate and James Wittmeyer advanced to the professional ranks as both were signed by the Philadelphia Barrage of Major League Lacrosse.
O'Hagan assisted with the defense and ran the box for Mercyhurst in the 2015 and 2016 seasons before heading to Colby. During his time with the Lakers, they ranked second in NCAA Division II in scoring defense in 2016 (7.14 goals allowed per game) and 2015 (6.67).
Colby's conference and overall record improved during both the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Its goals-against average dropped by two per game during O'Hagan's tenure.
After graduating from Canisius, O'Hagan worked two years with the Iona Preparatory School lacrosse program. He was the varsity defensive coordinator for a 15-6 squad in 2014. O'Hagan coached the junior varsity to an 18-2 record and a city championship in 2013.
O'Hagan was a three-year starter at Canisius and earned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference First Team honors in 2012 as a defenseman.
