Texas Names 2026 Coaching Staff

AUSTIN, TX – The University of Texas Men’s Lacrosse program is excited to announce a new leadership team with the appointment of Louie DeDonatis as its new Head Coach and Michael Brand as an Assistant Coach. The program will also retain its current assistant coaching staff to ensure a smooth transition and continuity. This new structure is poised to guide the Longhorns as they continue to build on a history of success in the Lone Star Alliance (LSA) and the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA).

Louie DeDonatis joins the Longhorns after a distinguished coaching career at both the collegiate and professional levels. He is currently an Assistant Coach with the Philadelphia Waterdogs in the Premier Lacrosse League. Prior to his time in the professional ranks, DeDonatis was the Head Coach at Boston College (MCLA), leading the program to a PCLL Championship and consistent top-10 national rankings. As a player, he was a three-time All-American long stick midfielder at Grand Canyon University, helping his team secure the 2015 MCLA National Championship.

Joining the staff as an assistant coach is Michael Brand, a highly respected coach with extensive experience in the MCLA. Brand was most recently the Head Coach at Texas State University, where his tenure saw the Bobcats achieve multiple winning seasons, a Coach of the Year honor in 2014 and an LSA title in 2015. His prior achievements include earning the Coach of the Year honors in 2010 and 2011, while at Centenary College, where he successfully rebuilt the program. He was also an Assistant on the staff at Brown University and is currently on staff with the Iron Horse program in Austin.

The Longhorns are coming off a successful period under previous leadership, including three consecutive LSA Conference Championships and two straight appearances in the National Tournament Quarterfinals. The program is confident that the combined expertise and strategic vision of DeDonatis and Brand, along with the continued support of the retained assistant coaches, will propel the team to even greater achievements in the upcoming season.

The retained assistant coaching staff includes:

• Travis Mayor has been an Assistant Coach with the University of Texas since 2016. He previously coached at Smithson Valley High School in 2016. Coach Mayor was a standout in his playing days at Adams State University

• Ryan Darby is an alumnus of Johns Hopkins University, where he played as a goalie. He played in 28 games with 21 starts, posting a career goals against average of 12.98 and a career save percentage of .451. He was ranked as the #19 freshman goalie in the nation by Inside Lacrosse in 2018 and was a three-year starter, three-time team MVP, and three-time Texas All-State selection at Plano West High School.

• John King is a 2019 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and a former player for the Longhorns. He was a two-time all-conference defensive midfielder (2017-2018) and an all-conference LSM (2019). He served as an officer for the team and was nominated captain his senior year. After graduating, he earned an M.S. in Primate Behavior from Central Washington University, where he was the defensive coordinator for the CWU Men's Lacrosse team. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Anthropology and helps coach the UT defense.

• Riley Derby is a 2019 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He was a four-year All-Conference player at both attack and midfield, and was selected as captain during his junior and senior years. Off the field, he served as team vice-president and team president. He continued to work with the team as a graduate assistant while completing his Master in Professional Accounting and has been in his current capacity with the team since 2022.

For more information and to stay updated on the team’s progress, visit utlacrosse.com.

About University of Texas Men’s Lacrosse The University of Texas Men’s Lacrosse team is a Division I member of the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA), competing in the Lone Star Alliance (LSA). As a student-run organization, the team is committed to athletic excellence, community engagement, and developing the character of its student-athletes.