LOS ANGELES – The University of Southern California men’s lacrosse team is proud to announce Adam Ghitelman as its new head coach for the 2016 season.

“I am excited to join the USC men’s lacrosse program as their new head coach,” said Ghitelman. “USC is an outstanding institution, both academically and athletically, and I have the highest aspirations for the USC lacrosse program. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to coach and mentor our student-athletes, have a positive influence on the growth of lacrosse in the western states, and continue to train year around on the west coast. I’m looking forward to working with USC and the administration to help bring the lacrosse program to the next level – with the added support of family, alumni, and fans there is no ceiling for lacrosse in California. This is a dream come true for me.”

Charlie Meister, USC's general manager, believes Ghitelman’s strong understanding of lacrosse on both ends of the ball, his leadership and proven success at every level of the game will help USC’s team be successful this season. It will also attract other highly qualified student athletes to USC, who will continue that success in seasons to come.

Ghitelman joins USC after four years as an assistant coach at Harvard. In Ghitelman's first season with the Crimson in 2012, Harvard goalies posted a combined goals against average of 9.77. Harvard held two opponents to five goals or less. During Ghitelman’s second season, the Crimson netminders combined for a 9.97 goals-against average and held two opponents to five goals or less. In his third season in Cambridge, Ghitelman helped the Crimson do what no other team had done in 24 years, as Harvard won the program’s first Ivy League championship since 1990 with a 5-1 conference record. The feat helped earn Harvard an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament, its first since 2006 and sixth overall, while elevating the Crimson to the highest ranking in program history at No. 11. Harvard finished the year off with a 10-7 overall record, an impressive 7-1 mark in Cambridge, four wins over ranked opponents, and seven selections to the All-Ivy League teams -- the second most in program history. Over his tenure, Ghitelman mentored multiple All-Americans and three different All-Ivy goalies in three straight years.

Ghitelman, who is in his fourth season playing Major League Lacrosse, currently plays for the Boston Cannons and continues to train and compete with the US national team. He was named to the 2012 MLL All-Star Game as a Charlotte Hound after leading the MLL in saves (185) and save percentage (.551). Ghitelman helped lead the Hounds to the MLL championship game in 2013. He was drafted by the Denver Outlaw s in the eighth round (45th overall) of the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft.

“We are thrilled to have Coach Ghitelman lead the USC Men’s Lacrosse Club,” said team president Ross Ewing. “From his experience at UVA and Harvard, he understands the requirements of the student-athlete and we are confident that with his knowledge and past successes he will make a significant impact on our lacrosse program and catalyze USC’s upward progression. We are all really looking forward to his leadership and excited for the upcoming season.”

Coach Ghitelman is a native of Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., and a graduate of the University of Virginia. He was the starting Cavalier goaltender from 2008-2011 and is the winningest goalie in both UVA and ACC history. During his playing career under legendary lacrosse coach Dom Starsia, Ghitelman recorded 586 saves during his 62-game career, posting a 8.94 goals-against average and a save percentage of .533. During Virginia’s run to the national championship in 2011, Ghitelman, who served as one of the team’s captains, started 17 games and stopped 178 shots to go along with a 9.54 goals-against average. He concluded his collegiate career second in Virginia history in saves.