Scott Stark will begin his seventh season on Jim Lange’s men's lacrosse staff in 2020, and his sixth season as the team’s Defensive Coordinator.
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 during its NCAA era. 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 ranked fourth in NCAA Division II in scoring defense after allowing 7.14 goals a game, which was also a new program record. The defense helped the Lions go 10-4 on the season, including a win over No. 4 Tampa. Defenseman Connor Laird was named an honorable mention All-American.
In 2016, Lindenwood’s defense continued its annual improvement by having a GAA of 7.73. The Lions ranked sixth in NCAA Division II in scoring defense. Midfielder Tyler Schermann and defensemen Connor Laird were both first-team all-conference picks, and goalie Ben Besancenez and midfielder David Corazalla were second-team selections.
In 2015, Stark’s defense dropped its GAA to 8.04 a game, 1.45 lower than before he arrived at Lindenwood. The 2015 defense ranked eighth in NCAA Division II in scoring defense, and his top defender, Graeme Hossack, was second in the nation in groundballs and sixth in caused turnovers. Hossack became the first Lindenwood player to earn All-American honors, and he was the ECAC Specialist of the Year.
The team’s defensive performance in 2015 played a big role in the program having its top season in program history. The Lions went 14-4, tied for third in the ECAC regular season, and they advanced to the ECAC Tournament Finals and the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first times in program history.
In his first season at Lindenwood, Stark helped Hossack earn his first ECAC Specialist of the Year award. The Lions won five of their final seven games that season to give the team momentum heading into 2015, and they allowed just 8.14 goals a game in that final span.
Prior to coming to Lindenwood, Stark was at the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he volunteered for two seasons as an assistant coach and was the program’s head recruiting coordinator. Stark graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a bachelor's degree in business administration. As a player, Stark started his career at Minnesota-Duluth as an offensive midfielder, and finished it on the defensive side of the field as a long-stick midfielder.
Stark is a native of Minnesota and started his lacrosse career at Prior Lake High School. He graduated from Lindenwood with a master’s degree in communications with an emphasis in training and development in the spring of 2015.
