Weekender: Gator Gratitude

by Jac Coyne | MCLA.us

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Garrett Hanrahan was just a year out of college when he moved back to Gainesville to take over the head coaching job at his alma mater. Florida had finished the previous season at 6-5 and hadn’t qualified for nationals in seven years.

He had agreed to take over the program and, while there was certainly excitement about the challenge of rebuilding his former team, there were some existential concerns.

“I had lots of questions and very few answers,” said Hanrahan about his return to Florida. “What do I want to do with my life? What career path am I on? Other than coaching lacrosse, what could I spend my time and effort on that won't rot my soul? What am I looking for in a spouse? A family? The list goes on.”

Many of those questions would be answered in time. One of the responses came when Hanrahan announced to the team last August that 2025 would be his last year stalking the Gator sidelines.

It was both a difficult and easy decision for Hanrahan.

The tough part is pretty obvious. Since assuming the reins of the Gators he has slowly – and with plenty of frustrating times – built the program back to being a perennial nationals contender. It took a decade, and bridging a worldwide “pandemic,” to finally return to the MCLA championships in 2022. He followed that up with another run the following year. And through it all he built up wonderful relationships with his players and staff.

He'll also miss the fulfillment he gets from watching young men sacrifice so much just to play the sport they love.

“Where else are guys signing up to fork over a big chunk of money so that they can be subjected to demands far beyond their non-athletic peers without virtually any of the benefits enjoyed by their varsity counterparts?” he asked. “Top-tier MCLA guys are special. Rigorous majors, relentless competition, demanding travel schedule, minimal pomp and circumstance. And none of that is to even mention that they have to run the club themselves.”

The easier part was both knowing that he was leaving the program in a better spot than he found it, but he can also start a new journey dedicated to one of the questions he asked himself in ’17.

“I found the best answers I could ever imagine in my wife and kids,” Hanrahan said. “They've sacrificed so much to allow me to coach as long as I have, and they've been my biggest supporters through it all. My life with them is a dream come true; one I look forward to being a bit more present in after I hang up the whistle.”

Even after he moves on to his new position with the Premier Lacrosse League on the business side of the house, he’ll have his memories of his time leading the Gators. There was the win over rival Florida State in 2021 that snapped an eight-year drought, including fall ball scrimmages.

And there will always be the final contest of the ill-fated 2020 season when everything had shutdown except for the Gators and Virginia Tech. Despite being told they couldn’t play on campus, the teams got one final run in.

“We found a field in Orlando whose events manager must not have been watching the news, so we changed the field location less than 24 hours in advance,” remembered Hanrahan, who had his wife doing the book. “Only about half our squad was able to make the trip, but both teams made it happen for the seniors with lots of help from refs and administrators. Despite being underdogs on paper, we were fortunate to come away with a win that night. Some Gators say this was the moment when our program turned a corner.”

Alas, there is still the here and now.

“We've got a season to finish,” he said. “We are all the way in on 2025. I love this group. They are talented, for sure, but, more importantly, they have formed the strongest brotherhood of any team I've been a part of, which is saying something. We have a coaching staff who is really digging in, and we have player leadership that is setting a new standard on and off the field. I am excited to see how far they can take us.”

Hanrahan has brought Florida back to the forefront of the MCLA, and Gator nation should be grateful.

Games I’m Following

Georgia at Arizona State, Friday – 7:30 p.m. (UGA -2.5 / 21.5)
Arizona State has always had the ability to jump East Coast teams just hopping off the plane, and it could be in the works again. It’s heightened by the fact that we really don’t know much about the Devils after two games. They won the game we expected (Utah Tech) and lost the one we thought (BYU). The Dawgs are 4-0, but the Florida win is by far the most impressive. An upset would not be surprising in the slightest.

Simon Fraser at Utah, Saturday – 1 p.m. (SFU -3.5 / 26)
This one might not move the needle for many, but I’m intrigued by these two outfits. Utah’s loss to USC kind of took the shine off the start of their season, but the Utes still have plenty of pieces. The Red Leafs opening weekend didn’t answer a lot of questions for me about their prospects, so I need to see a little more. This contest should answer several.

Dayton at Coastal Carolina, Saturday – 2 p.m. (CC -1.5 / 22)
The Flyers open their account in Conway, S.C., against the Chanticleers. This is the second year Dayton heads to the Carolinas to start the season, which resulted with a 1-2 return after a 10-9 loss to Coastal to end the trip. The postponement of the UNC-Charlotte game deprives us of getting a better read on the Chants, but they have a win over Wake.

Utah Valley at Florida, Saturday – 7 p.m. (UVU -5.5 / 31)
The Wolverines destruction of Florida State on Thursday night should send a shiver down the collective spines of the MCLA as they appear to be in murder mode. The Gators are next in line to slow down UVU, and they have shown a defense that can keep things under control. I’m still expecting a game in the mid-teens.

Minn.-Duluth vs. Montana, Sunday – 9 a.m. (UM -4 / 29.5)
Compared to their usual start, the Grizzlies have been in a comfy hibernation. They’ll have to wake up in a hurry, with St. Thomas on Saturday and this contest on Sunday. Duluth got blasted by Minnesota, which is looking up at Iowa State in the UMLC-I standings. Not optimal. I just want to find out what these teams are all about.

Southern Methodist at Grand Canyon, Sunday – 10 a.m. (GCU -1 / 19.5)
These are two teams that could play spoiler in their respective conferences if they can get hot at the right time. Kind of off the grid, but I’ll be curious to see who can pull this one off.

Colorado at Chapman, Sunday – 11 a.m. (CHAP -5 / 23)
Couple of layers to this game. It starts with getting our first glimpse at Colorado, who starts its mission to return to nationals after a first-round overtime loss. It will also see how Chapman bounces back from its double-overtime loss to Cal Poly (the Panthers play Colorado State on Friday prior to this matchup). The Buffs are jumping into the deep end of the pool to start the season, which has its risks and rewards.

Florida State at Texas, Sunday – 11:30 a.m. (UT -3.5 / 32)
This is a curious matchup only because FSU played Utah Valley on Thursday. The Noles are now presumably hopping a flight to Austin (a 13-hour bus ride seems a bit much). The Longhorns play A&M on Friday night in College Station, but Texas seems to be at a decided advantage, scheduling-wise. Still, the Noles have some weapons and we’ll see how they stack up against the LSA faves.

Montana State vs. St. Thomas, Sunday – 12 p.m. (UST -2.5 / 24.5)
This is a pretty clear pick for game of the week – as national championship rematches typically are – and it’ll come in the chilly confines of Minot, N.D. There will also be a little bit of redemption on the minds of the Tommies, although a little different than Air Force’s motivation last week. You’ll remember that because of weather, St. Thomas’ semifinal game with GVSU was pushed back until Friday, burning an off day that the Bobcats enjoyed. Would things have been different? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m guessing UST might pursue making a point of it.

Liberty at South Carolina, Sunday – 1 p.m. (LIB -5.5 / 24)
The Gamecocks are off to a slow start against very good competition, but you’ll remember the ’23 version of South Carolina started out 1-7 and still made nationals. No need to push the panic button yet, although it is not too far in the distance. A win over Liberty gets them right back on track. The Flames are still stinging from the home loss to Virginia Tech, so they’ll have plenty of motivation to get over the .500 mark. USC will be at a bit of a disadvantage having to play Georgia Tech on Friday while Liberty will be fresh.

Florida Atlantic at Kennesaw State, Sunday – 3:30 p.m. (PK / 27.5)
The rematch of the SELC-II tourney championship goes down on Sunday afternoon. FAU beat Kennesaw, 15-13, in a wild title tilt last year, so this could be a tasty primer for this season. There will also be at-large implications. There will be a lot of premium guys graduated off both teams, but this a nice, budding rivalry.

Slides & Rides

- With Hanrahan’s announcement that he’s stepping down at Florida, the Gators have already commenced a nationwide search for his replacement. If you’re interested in applying for the position, please contact Florida team president Carlos Rios.

- Speaking of Kennesaw, a quick shoutout to senior middie and team president Bryan Kemp. He hadn’t played goalie in eight years prior to last weekend’s game against D-I Kentucky. Against the Wildcats, Kemp was forced into action, making 20 saves and grabbing three ground balls to keep his team in the mix. That’s leadership. Good on you, Bryan.

- As usual, head coaches nominations for PEARL Goalie of the Week and Warrior Player of the Week are due by noon on Monday to info@mcla.us.