Former Union standout Derek Witheford '11 finished his fourth season as the head coach of the Union College men's lacrosse team and 11th season overall on the sidelines of his alma mater in 2023, having taken the storied program to new heights in just a few short years at the helm.
After his first two seasons were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Witheford guided Union to the best season in program history in his first full year in 2022. Union finished the season with an 18-3 record and reached the Division III national championship game for the first time ever, earning the first NCAA quarterfinal and semifinal wins in program history along the way. The season started with a program-record 10 straight victories, including four against nationally ranked foes, as part of an incredibly challenging schedule that saw Union play 10 nationally ranked teams and finish with an opponents' winning percentage of .708. Following the season, Witheford was recognized as the leader of the IMLCA National Coaching Staff of the Year and the ECAC D-III Coaching Staff of the Year, and also earned USILA Division III National Coach of the Year honors as well.
On an individual level, Witheford's student-athletes received a bevy of national and regional honors in 2022 as well. Attacker Peter Burnes was named the IMLCA National Offensive Player of the Year to lead three IMLCA first- and second-team All-Americans, while no team in the country had more USILA All-Americans than the 10 Union players selected, led by first-teamers Burnes and defenseman Matt Belluche.
The team has been nationally ranked by the USILA in every week of Witheford's four-year tenure as head coach of Union, reaching as high as second in Division III during the 2022 season.
Both of Witheford's first two seasons as the helm of the program were affected by COVID-19, but it was clear that the Dutchmen were headed in the right direction. In his first year, the team won four of its first five games and was ranked 10th in the country before the remainder of the season was canceled. The team was then ranked nationally in every poll during the abbreviated 2021 season, which saw Union produce a program-record four USILA All-America selections and 10 All-Liberty League honorees.
Witheford started his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Union in 2013. He quickly was promoted to assistant head coach before his third season back in Schenectady in 2015 and then spent two years as the associate head coach before finally taking over the reins of the program from former mentor Paul Wehrum.
Union registered a mark of 77-39 (.664) in his seven seasons as an assistant coach and served as the team’s defensive coordinator from 2014-19. During that time Union was consistently ranked in the top 20 nationally in both scoring defense and man-down defense, while the team saw eight All-America selections on the defensive third of the field during that time.
In his final season before taking over the head coaching position, the Dutchmen posted a 14-4 record, reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament and finished the year ranked ninth in the USILA Div. III National poll. Three players earned All-America honors, including defenseman Ed Winters and goalie Jack Santilli, while the team earned IMLCA Div. III National Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
A two-time captain of the Dutchmen, Witheford played four seasons on defense at his alma mater from 2008-11. A starter in all 63 career games, he recorded 196 ground balls and caused 82 turnovers. Witheford was a four-time All-Liberty League honoree in his career, including first-team honors as a senior in 2011, and until 2022 held the honor of being the program's only four-time All-Conference selection.
As a senior in 2011, Witheford earned USILA All-America honorable mention recognition (the program's first All-America defender since 1993) and appeared in the USILA North-South All-Star Game. He was also named a USILA Scholar All-American as a senior.
Coach Witheford At a Glance:
2020: 4-1 (.800)
2021: 5-3 (.625)
2022: 18-3 (.857)
2023: 12-7 (.632)
Overall: 39-14 (.736)
Liberty League: 14-6 (.700)
