Chad LaCross, the winningest coach in Saint Francis men’s basketball history, announced Thursday that he is retiring as head coach, effective Sept. 8. He has been the Cougars’ head coach since 2010.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to work at Saint Francis over the past 22 years,” LaCross said. “I will always cherish the relationships that I’ve built and the countless memories I have made during my time here. As I step into this new chapter of life, I look forward to spending more time with my family and I’m excited for the next journey.”
LaCross, who compiled an overall record of 335-168, served as assistant and associate head coach for seven years prior to becoming the head coach. He was the 2016 Rawlings NAIA Division II Coach of the Year and is one of 25 active NAIA coaches to win over 300 games. He has taken 11 Saint Francis teams to the NAIA national tournament in his 15 seasons. He was the first Saint Francis men’s basketball coach to take three teams to the NAIA championship game and has made four NAIA Final Fours.
“I don’t quite have the words to express my sincere gratitude and thanks for what Chad LaCross has meant to this university and our basketball program,” Saint Francis Athletic Director Mike McCaffrey said. “The way he carried himself throughout all of these years–and the success he was rewarded with—speaks to his character and leadership and I will be forever grateful for his time at Saint Francis.”
LaCross is one of 25 active NAIA coaches to compile more than 300 career wins. Of those 25 coaches, he is ninth in winning percentage. LaCross was the fastest Saint Francis men’s basketball coach to reach 50 wins (2011-12), 100 wins (2014-15) and 200 wins (2017-18), and is the only Saint Francis coach to eclipse 300 wins in program history.
LaCross was a three-time NAIA All-American at Tri-State University (now Trine University), where he holds the TSU career scoring record with 2,650 points. He was the 2000 and 2001 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Player of the Year, led the NAIA in scoring (27.3 points per game) and was third in the county in rebounding (12.1 rebounds per game) as a senior. LaCross scored a school-record 51 points against Indiana Tech in the WHAC Tournament.
A national search for the next Saint Francis head men’s basketball coach is underway. For more information, contact Saint Francis Athletic Director Mike McCaffrey at mmccaffrey@sf.edu or 260-399-7700, ext. 6250.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,800 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.