TUFTS LACROSSE VIRTUAL ACADEMY - Key Persons
Casey D'Annolfo, a 2006 Tufts University graduate, is now in his fourth season as head coach of the Tufts University men's lacrosse program.
In his third year, Coach D'Annolfo guided the Jumbos to the program's ninth New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCASC) championship. Tufts finished 19-2, earned the #1 seed in the NCAA tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals for the second straight season. A school record ten members of the team were been selected as United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III All-Americans, and four members of the team earned scholar All-America honors - the second most in the country.
In his second year with the team in 2018, Coach D'Annolfo guided the Jumbos to the program's eighth New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) championship. Tufts finished 18-2 while advancing to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. Five members of the team were been selected as United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III All-Americans. Graduates Frank Hattler and Connor Lansdale were recognized as Scholar All-Americans by the USILA and Hattler earned 2017-18 Google Cloud Academic All-America® recognition.
In his first year with the team in 2017, Coach D'Annolfo guided the Jumbos to a school-record 11 straight wins to open the season. The program earned its 10th NCAA berth overall and ninth in a row, advancing to the "Sweet 16." Tufts' seven New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association all-stars were the most in the region that year. Jumbos Ben Connelly and Danny Murphy were selected as USILA All-Americans and Tyler Olney won College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America honors.
D'Annolfo, who replaced Mike Daly as the Jumbos' head coach, revitalized the men's lacrosse program at the Taft School during nine seasons as head coach. When he was hired at Taft in 2007, the Rhinos were at the bottom of the Founders League. Playing in one of the most competitive lacrosse conferences in the nation - including teams such as Deerfield, Salisbury, Hotchkiss, Westminster and Choate - Taft won the Founders League championship under D'Annolfo's guidance in 2016. He also established Taft as a nationally-ranked program. The Rhinos were #802 in the USA Today national high school poll for 2007, but by 2014 he had the team ranked in top 20. Taft was #18 in USA Today's rankings for the spring 2016. The 2016 team also broke the school record for goals in a season (287).
Eight Taft players earned All-American honors during D'Annolfo's tenure and three received Western New England Player of the Year awards. He helped more than 70 student-athletes move on to play college lacrosse at the Division I, II and III levels. Taft 2016 All-American Michael Kraus broke the school's single-season goals record with 57 and is currently playing Division I Virginia, where he is a three-time USILA All-American and and two time team captain.
From West Hartford, Connecticut originally, D'Annolfo was a three-sport letterman in football, lacrosse, and basketball at Tufts from 2002-06. He played quarterback for the Jumbos and was a four-year contributor in lacrosse. He is as the only athlete in Jumbo history to throw a touchdown pass in football, score a goal in lacrosse, and make a field goal in basketball during his Tufts career.
Job Titles:
- ASSISTANT COACH / ASST. OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Danny Murphy, an All-American player for the Jumbos who graduated in 2019, has joined the Jumbos Coaching Staff as an assistant coach.
Murphy scored 290 points (150 goals, 140 assists) in 63 career games with the Jumbos from 2016-19 to rank fourth on the program's all-time scoring list. His 150 goals is tied for third and his 140 assists are fourth all-time. His 100-point season (45g, 55a) in 2018 was the sixth in Jumbo history.
A United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American three times, Murphy was also a USILA Scholar All-American this past spring. He was selected to the New England Small College Athletic Conference first team three straight years and is also a three-time New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association honoree.
Murphy graduated from Tufts with a degree in political science.
Job Titles:
- ASSISTANT COACH / DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Stephen Toomy is in his first season on the Tufts University men's lacrosse coaching staff. A stand-out player at Western New England University, Toomy brings several years of Division I coaching experience to the Jumbos.
For the past two seasons Toomy was an assistant coach at Harvard. Prior to that he worked at Boston University, where he served as the defensive coordinator for two seasons. Toomy led one of the best defenses in the country with the Terriers, giving up only 8.88 goals per game and ranking No. 15 in the country.
Toomy had been the defensive coordinator and goalie coach at Colgate, helping the Raiders win the 2015 Patriot League Championship and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Before Colgate, Toomy was the director of men's lacrosse operations at the University of North Carolina for two years. In this role, he edited and distributed practice/game film as well as preparing opponent film for the coaches and players. He was a part of a coaching staff that won the 2013 ACC championship and made the NCAA tournament both years.
Toomy began his coaching career at his alma mater, Western New England University, where he coached the defense while also serving as the goalie coach and recruiting coordinator.
As a player at Western New England from 2005-2009, Toomy was a three-time all-conference selection and participated in the 2009 NEILA East-West Senior All-Star Game. The Northborough, Massachusetts, native earned his bachelor's degree in accounting in May 2009.