Oberlin College Athletics

Oberlin, Ohio - Oberlin College Associate Vice President for Athletics Advancement and Delta Lodge Director of Athletics & Physical Education Natalie Winkelfoos announced the appointment of Ryan Polak as head men's lacrosse coach. 
 
Over the last three seasons, Polak has served as the lead assistant coach at Kenyon College where he was the Lords' offensive - and recruiting coordinator. Since his arrival in 2018, Polak has been instrumental in making the Lords a perennial force within the North Coast Athletic Conference with two conference tournament appearances (2018-19) and a 5-1 start in 2020 before the season was cut short due to COVID-19. 
 
In 2019, Polak's high-powered offense ranked third in the NCAC in goals per game with 14.29 as they posted 243 tallies and 131 assists, 57 which came out of the stick of Nick Vitale to rank second in the league. When last season came to an abrupt halt, Kenyon's Will Robbin's was fifth in the conference in points with 18 (13 g, 5 a). 
 
Polak mentored nine All-NCAC selections during his time with the Lords and helped the team acheive a record of 25-13 overall and 11-5 in the NCAC.
 
"Ryan's understanding of our institutional mission, our lacrosse program and what it takes to be competitively successful in the NCAC is impressive.  His ability and enthusiasm to recruit top-flight scholar-athletes from across the country will serve Oberlin well.  We are excited to see him and the team build upon the quality foundation Coach Grossman created." 
 
Prior to coming to Gambier, he was the director for True Lacrosse Idaho and also worked as the head lacrosse coach at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho.
 
Polak got his start in coaching as a college counseling Intern and assistant lacrosse coach at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio in 2015 and 2016.
 
"It's a great honor to be named the Head Men's Lacrosse Coach at Oberlin. Oberlin is one of the top Liberal Arts Colleges in the country and to be able to associate myself with this institution is an outstanding opportunity.  I would personally like to thank Natalie Winkelfoos, the search committee and the players for their vote of confidence in me. I would also like to thank Jill McCartney and Doug Misarti of Kenyon for their support throughout this process. I am excited about the future of Oberlin lacrosse, we will recruit student athletes that will excel both in the classroom and on the field.  We will play an exciting brand of lacrosse and our goal is to become consistent participants in the NCAC Tournament and work toward a NCAA Tournament appearance. Go Yeomen!"
 
A 2014 graduate of Washington College (MD), Polak helped the Shoreman make three NCAA Tournament appearances as a midfielder and attackman. As a senior, he guided WC to a Centennial Conference Championship in 2014 and an appearance in NCAA DIII semifinals.
 
Polak will officially take over the men's lacrosse program later this month.