Jim Lange is entering his eleventh season as the head coach of the Lindenwood men’s lacrosse team in 2024.
Two Lions earned all-conference honors following the 2023 season, including Wesley Scurci and Flint Thielen on the ASUN All-Freshman Team. Scurci led the Lions in points with 30 and goals with 24. Thielen was fourth on the team in points with 18. Lindenwood ranked second best in the ASUN in penalty minutes per game with 2.00 as well as second best in caused turnovers per game with 9.25. The Black and Gold also ranked fourth in the ASUN in groundballs per game with 31.67. During the year, the team earned wins over LIU and Queens in its first NCAA Division I season
Under the direction of Lange in 2022, The Lindenwood men's lacrosse team had one of its most successful seasons since joining NCAA Division II, finishing with a 12-4 record, GLVC title, and appearance in the NCAA South Regional. The team's national tournament berth marked the first since 2015, and its first time hosting an NCAA contest. Lange was named GLVC Coach of the Year.
Three Lions earned USILA All-America distinction following the 2022 season, including Kyle Hebert, Patrick Kaschalk, and Cam Smith. Joining the Lindenwood trio among USILA All-Region honorees was Colin Hunt, who recorded 81 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers in 16 games.
Lindenwood hoarded GLVC postseason accolades, with 10 players recognized by the league's head coaches. Kaschalk (Player of the Year) and Hebert (Goalkeeper of the Year) were voted the best player at their respective position, Chase Showalter joined Kaschalk and Hebert, along with Smith and Hunt, on the Conference's top squad.
In the 2021 season, Lange guided the program to a 10-3 record, with a 9-2 mark in GLVC play. At home the team was 5-0, which included wins over No. 10 UIndy, No. 15 Maryville, and No. 20 Rockhurst. The Lions were coached to a GLVC Men’s Lacrosse Tournament championship game appearance, after beating Maryville, 14-7, in the conference tournament semifinals. Under the tutelage of Lange, Carter Collins earned All-American and All-Region honors following the season, and 11 student-athletes were recipients of All-GLVC accolades. Throughout the campaign, the Lions received national and conference weekly accolades on 11 occasions. The 10 wins under Lange are tied for the second-most wins in any season with him at the helm, and the most since the 2015 season.
In 2020, Lange guided the Lions to a 5-0 start, before the season was shortened due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Under Lange, several student-athletes secured GLVC weekly honors, such as Connor Ciemiewicz (GLVC Defensive Player of the Week), Carter Collins (GLVC Offensive Player of the Week), and Peter Covington (GLVC Offensive Player of the Week). Ciemiewicz and Covington both received USILA Team of the Week honors, with Covington being selected twice during the shortened season. Collins was named a Maverik Division II Media All-American after his strong play.
In 2019, Lindenwood matched its best start in program history, winning each of its first five games, including a 16-10 season-opening victory over No. 10 Colorado Mesa. After beginning the season unranked in the USILA poll, Lindenwood quickly elevated itself to the 10th-ranked team in NCAA Division II. The Lions finished the season with a 10-5 record, the fourth time Lindenwood reached double-digit wins under the direction of Lange. Lindenwood ended the year as the 17th-ranked team in the country, Along with its victory over No. 10 Colorado Mesa, the Lions also knocked off No. 19 Tampa. Lindenwood completed the season with a 7-2 record from Hunter Stadium, the most single-season home wins in the program's NCAA era.
In 2018, Lindenwood opened the season ranked 17th in the USILA national poll. The Lions won each of their first three games, outscoring their opponents by a 44-22 margin over the three-game stretch. Lindenwood rose to as high as No. 13 in the poll, before ultimately finishing the season with a 6-7 record, which included a 5-2 mark from Hunter Stadium. The Lions ranked 25th nationally in scoring offense, averaging 11.69 goals per game.
In 2017, Lindenwood reached double-figure wins for the third straight year, and finished the season with a 10-4 record. The Lions finished the season ranked 17th in the national polls, and picked up one of their signature wins in program history with a 6-5 win over No. 4 Tampa. The Lions ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense by allowing just 7.14 goals a game, and they also ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense.
Connor Laird was an honorable mention All-American selection at a defense position.
Lange led the Lions to 10 wins in 2016, and they reached the ECAC Championship game for the second straight season. Lindenwood had two victories over top-10 nationally-ranked teams.
Five players were named to the ECAC all-conference team, including first-team selections for Tyler Schermann and Connor Laird. Lindenwood also placed one person on the all-rookie team. Off the field, 22 Lions were named to the ECAC All-Academic team.
In 2015, Lindenwood had its best season in program history with a 14-4 overall record, and an appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament. The Lions went 13-2 in the regular season and finished tied for third in the ECAC with a 5-2 mark. Lindenwood reached the ECAC Tournament finals after its second straight victory over nationally-ranked Seton Hill.
Lange coached the first All-American in the program’s NCAA history when Graeme Hossack earned first-team honors. Hossack was also the ECAC Specialist of the Year, and was one of four players on the ECAC all-conference teams. Three Lions also earned ECAC all-rookie honors. In the classroom, 24 players were named ECAC All-Academic, and Jon George became the first men’s lacrosse player at Lindenwood to earn Academic All-American honors.
In his second season, Lange helped Lindenwood average nearly two goals a game higher than 2013, and the defense allowed 1.36 goals fewer a contest. The Lions ranked in the top-10 in the nation in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
In his first season as a head coach in 2014, Lange led the Lions to a 5-7 overall record, including a 3-4 mark in ECAC play. Lindenwood was among the nation’s leaders during the season in groundballs and caused turnovers. Hossack was named the ECAC Specialist of the Year after leading the nation in caused turnovers, and Connor Laird was named to the ECAC All-Rookie team. Off the field, 19 players were named to the ECAC All-Academic team.
Lange started his time at Lindenwood as a player and became one of the top goal scorers in the team's MCLA history. When he finished his playing career in 2007, he was the Lions' all-time leading scorer. He was also a four-time all-conference selection, a conference MVP, and an MCLA All-American.
After graduating, Lange moved right into a coaching role with the Lions. In his first four seasons, Lange helped Lindenwood go 61-23 at the MCLA level. During that time, the Lions won three conference tournament titles and advanced to three national tournaments.
In the program's first two seasons against NCAA competition, Lange helped the Lions to a record of 16-12. In his final two seasons as an assistant coach, six Lions were named to all-conference squads.
Lange is a St. Louis native who began his lacrosse career at DeSmet Jesuit High School. He has also coached at DeSmet and for the St. Louis Samurai select team.
Jim Lange's Head Coaching Record:
| Year |
Overall |
Conf. |
Conf. Finish |
Final NCAA Rank |
Notes |
| 2014 |
5-7 |
3-4 |
5th |
|
|
| 2015 |
14-4 |
5-2 |
t-3rd |
8th |
NCAA First-Round/ECAC Tourn. Finalist |
| 2016 |
10-6 |
5-3 |
t-3rd |
17th |
ECAC Tourn. Finalist |
| 2017 |
10-4 |
|
|
17th |
|
| 2018 |
6-7 |
|
|
|
|
| 2019 |
10-5 |
|
|
17th |
|
| 2020 |
5-0 |
1-0 |
|
10th |
|
| 2021 |
10-3 |
9-2 |
1st |
t-11th |
|
| 2022 |
12-4 |
5-1 |
1st |
|
GLVC Champs/NCAA First Round |
| 2023 |
2-10 |
1-8 |
9th |
|
|
| Overall |
84-50 |
29-20 |
|
|
|
