Matt Madalon has been the driving force behind Princeton men’s lacrosse’s return to national prominence, serving as head coach since the latter part of the 2016 season. After joining the Tigers as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, Madalon was elevated to interim head coach for the final five games of 2016 and officially named head coach prior to the 2017 season. Since then, he has guided Princeton to sustained success at the national level, including an NCAA Championship Weekend appearance, back-to-back Ivy League Tournament championships, three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, and multiple top-three final national rankings. His teams have consistently been among the nation’s most efficient offensively while also excelling across a wide range of statistical categories.
Under Madalon’s leadership, Princeton has developed elite individual talent alongside team success. He has coached the program’s all-time leading scorer, the top two single-season goal scorers in school history, a Tewaaraton Award finalist, eight professional draft selections, and multiple players who have led Division I in individual statistical categories. The Tigers reached the NCAA Final Four in 2022 for the first time in 18 years and followed that run with Ivy League Tournament titles and NCAA appearances in both 2023 and 2024. Madalon’s ability to maintain program culture was especially evident during the COVID-19 disruption, as Princeton returned in 2022 without missing a step competitively.
