By Trevor Wenners
Assistant Director of Sports Information
There is going to be a new means of entertainment at Panther Field in 2020.
The LaGrange College men's lacrosse team will be making its debut, and it sounds like it is going to be must-see theater.
Panthers head coach Brandon Sewell is well-equipped to be leading the program, as he has proven to be a winner at every stop.
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| Brandon Sewell comes to LaGrange with a wealth of lacrosse knowledge. |
"Bringing men's lacrosse to LaGrange is something that everyone associated with our program is excited about," said Sewell. "The guys cannot wait for that first home game under the lights at Panther Field on Feb. 14. We want to establish ourselves as a tough blue-collar team. Playing physical defense and winning the ground-ball battle will be two things that we will strive for each game."
Sewell is no stranger to the USA South, as he was a former assistant coach at Huntingdon College from 2016-18. The Hawks won the USA South Tournament in 2018, earning an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Sewell compiled an extraordinary playing career at Huntingdon, as he was a four-year starter from 2012-15. The 2012 season was the first year of men's lacrosse at Huntingdon, so the Elkton, Maryland, native is familiar with being a part of a new program.
He finished his career with 121 goals, 68 assists, 189 points and 499 ground balls, while going 547-for-932 on faceoffs for a .587 winning percentage. Sewell, who earned a bachelor's degree in biology, led the team in ground balls and assists all four seasons.
LaGrange will open its 2020 season on Feb. 8 at Birmingham-Southern, and then the unit will compete in its home opener on Feb. 14 against Centenary (La.) at 7 p.m. on Panther Field.
Sewell took some time to speak about his vision for the program.
Q: What made you pursue employment at LaGrange College?
A: I knew this would be a great opportunity to build a program at a top-academic institution, within a conference that I am familiar with. The conference tournament was played here each of the last two years, so I was able to see the beautiful campus and facilities. I knew that LaGrange could go toe-to-toe with the other small private colleges in the South that offer men's lacrosse. Our goals are work hard, get better every day and compete. If we can do those three things, we can be successful in all areas.
Q: What are the challenges of building a new program?
A: The most challenging thing is adjusting to the college game. We have a lot of young players, who are going to be asked to make plays and contribute at a high level. We cannot play timidly or be afraid to make mistakes, but we must learn from those mistakes.
Q: What is your coaching style?
A: I pride myself on execution, whether it is in practice, a game, recruiting or academics. I am a true believer that the amount of effort and preparation we put in will determine how well we execute. Guys who play for me know that they are going to be pushed to be the best, and I am there to help them reach their potential.
Q: What have you learned about your team?
A: This fall, there were several flashes of our potential, which was highly encouraging. We still have a lot to learn and improve on, but I am excited to see how much we continue to progress. We had 15 practices this fall, which we used to implement the basics to our offensive and defensive systems. The guys have really bought into what we want to do.
Q: Who will be the leaders of the team?
A: Isaac Bohrer, Ben Bryan and Nate Moore were voted team captains for our upcoming season. Each of those guys has demonstrated great leadership on and off the field. All three are individuals who work hard, do the small things and lead by example. They are great representatives of what we are building here.
Q: How will your previous success in the sport help you in this role?
A: Being a part of those successful teams allowed me to see what it takes to be successful within this conference, and at the end of the day, it has come down to hard work. From early morning practices to late nights in the library, we want each member of the team being accountable for one another. What we do now will impact our team three years from now, so holding these guys to a high standard will allow us to establish a winning culture and mindset.
Q: What were your main responsibilities as an assistant coach at Huntingdon?
A: I was the offensive coordinator and coached the faceoff unit. My last season, we had the top-scoring offense in the conference and five All-USA South selections. We were also ranked in the top-10 nationally in faceoff winning percentage, and our faceoff-specialist, Sam Hitt, was named USA South Player of the Year.
Q: What kind of traits are you looking for and how do you sell LaGrange when recruiting?
A: When my assistant and I are recruiting and looking for student-athletes, we are constantly looking for young men, who take pride in doing the simple things correctly, work hard and are coachable. We offer an opportunity at LaGrange to put our names on something and build a program brick by brick. At the end of the day, we will be able to look back and be proud of what we have built.
Q: What have you learned about the LaGrange family?
A: My family and I have really been embraced by the college and community from Day 1. Having that support and encouragement has been a fantastic reassurance that we made the right decision to come start this program. I am excited about what the future holds, and having the support from the college and community goes a long way in building a successful program.
Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
