Plymouth State University

Mike Wilus joined the men's lacrosse program as an assistant coach in 2018 and was promoted to interim head coach in January 2020. He was endorsed as head coach two months later.
 
The Panthers have experienced immense success under his direction, earning 10-plus wins in three straight seasons, including back-to-back program records for wins in 2023 (14) and 2024 (15). In 2024, the Panthers won their first LEC Tournament title and earned their second NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
The 2024 campaign was a historic season as the team set a program record for conference wins with seven and finished in a three-way tie atop the league standings. The Panthers then won the LEC Tournament to earn their first NCAA Tournament appearance in nearly half a century. Wilus was named LEC Coach of the Year, while Owen McNichols ’24 was tabbed LEC Goalie of the Year after setting new records for goalie wins in a season and career. The team climbed as high as No. 10 in the NEILA weekly poll.
 
The 2023 season was equally impressive, with Wilus’ crew posting a 14-4 record. PSU opened the season 7-1 before winning six straight to close out the regular season and advancing to the semifinals. Wilus was recognized with his first of two consecutive Coach of the Year honors.
 
Wilus owns an overall record of 59-41 (.590), which ranks third in program history for wins. He earned his first career win in the team’s second game of 2020, topping Norwich University, before the COVID-19 pandemic halted spring sports three games into the season.
 
As an assistant in 2019, Wilus helped the Panthers to a 6-2 conference mark and the No. 2 seed for the LEC Tournament. PSU advanced to the championship game for the second time in program history.
 
Prior to joining the staff at Plymouth State, Wilus was the associate head coach at Lynn University after spending three years as the first assistant. He also spent two years at Gwynedd-Mercy College, where the Griffins posted an 18-12 overall record and went 9-4 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference.
 
Wilus was inducted into the North Penn Alumni Athletic Association Hall of Fame in October 2022. A 2007 graduate of North Penn High School, he set school records for career goals (151) and points (193) and was named the 2007 Reporter Boys’ Lacrosse Player of the Year.
 
Wilus played in 37 career games as a scholarship member of the NCAA Division I UMass men’s lacrosse team from 2007-11. The Minutemen appeared in the Top 20 all four years, going a combined 32-26 and earning an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009.
 
Wilus also serves as the Senior Associate Director of Admissions.