Chris Hawley is in his third season serving as the assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the Florida Institute of Technology Panthers men’s lacrosse team, based in Melbourne, Florida. In this role, he oversees the team’s defensive strategy and has helped guide the Panthers through competitive seasons, including fostering multiple all-conference players and contributing to notable team achievements in the Sunshine State Conference. Before joining Florida Tech, Hawley built his coaching foundation in Division I lacrosse, having served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Marquette University men’s lacrosse program, where he worked with goalies and assisted with defensive play. Prior to his stint at Marquette, he held assistant coaching positions at Virginia Wesleyan University and Elizabethtown College, helping those programs attain conference success and earning recognition for coaching excellence.
Hawley’s lacrosse roots extend back to his playing days at Lynchburg College (now the University of Lynchburg), where he was a standout goalie from 2012 to 2016. During his collegiate career, he earned USILA All-American Honorable Mention honors, All-Conference and All-State accolades, and helped lead Lynchburg to multiple Old Dominion Athletic Conference championships. After college, he continued playing in senior men’s leagues abroad and later shared his expertise as an instructor at lacrosse clinics, focusing on goalie technique and coaching fundamentals. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology with a concentration in Strength and Conditioning.
