University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC's Paradine Takes Head Coaching Role At Lenoir-Rhyne
July 22, 2009 | Men's Lacrosse
July 22, 2009
Lenoir-Rhyne University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Neill McGeachy has announced the hiring of University of North Carolina assistant coach Greg Paradine as the school's first-ever director of lacrosse. Paradine will coach both the men's and women's lacrosse teams, which will start competing in the 2010-11 academic year.
Paradine, who will begin on Aug. 1, will have 13 months to recruit both squads before the teams start playing intercollegiately. Paradine has served two stints on the Tar Heel coaching staff after graduating from the University in 1993. Paradine's most recent tenure at Carolina began in 2002 and he had been with the Tar Heels the past seven seasons under Coaches John Haus and Joe Breschi.
"I am honored and humbled to be the named the first director of lacrosse at Lenoir-Rhyne University," said Paradine. "Athletic Director Neill McGeachy, President Dr. Wayne Powell and I share the same vision for the lacrosse program at L-R: to strive for excellence in the classroom, integrity on the playing field and involvement in the community. The addition of both men's and women's teams at Lenoir-Rhyne is a huge boost for the game of lacrosse in the state of North Carolina."
"This is one of the significant hires in the history of Lenoir-Rhyne University," said McGeachy. "Greg (Paradine) was an exceptional intercollegiate lacrosse athlete and has proven himself to be an exceptional lacrosse coach. Coach Paradine represents all the parts we're looking for in this inaugural coaching position - skills as a coach, an evaluator, a recruiter and part P.T. Barnum."
Paradine comes to Lenoir-Rhyne after serving as an assistant lacrosse coach the past seven years at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina.
Paradine oversaw many of the day-to-day operations of the Tar Heel lacrosse program in addition to serving as an offensive and a defensive coach. Paradine also helped spearhead the Tar Heels' recruiting efforts, including five consecutive Top 10 classes - No. 6 in 2005, No. 4 in 2006, No. 7 in 2007 and 2008 and No. 6 in 2009.
Paradine also oversaw the development of Ronnie Staines into a first-team All-America defenseman in 2004. Staines became the first Tar Heel to cop first-team honors since 1993 when Paradine himself joined teammate Alex Martin on the first-team USILA All-America squad. In addition, Stephen McElduff was named a third-team All-America in 2005 under the tutelage of Paradine.
Paradine, who graduated from North Carolina in December of 1993 with a bachelor's degree in geography, was a four-year letter winner from 1990-93. He played on four Atlantic Coast Conference championship teams and four squads which earned NCAA Tournament bids. In addition, Paradine was part of the 1991 NCAA championship squad, the 1993 national finalists and the 1990 and 1992 semifinalists.
Paradine was a first-team All-America in 1993 and an honorable mention All-American in 1992.
Before returning to North Carolina, Paradine served as head lacrosse coach at Chapel Hill High School from 1998 to 2002. He led the Tigers to three PAC-Six Conference Titles (2000-02) and was named the PAC-Six Coach-of-the-Year in 2001. The Tigers were the North Carolina High School Lacrosse Association runnersup in both 2001 and 2002. Paradine also coached three high school All- American at Chapel Hill High.
Paradine, who received his teacher certification from North Carolina Central University in December of 1998, was employed three years as a teacher at Mary Scroggs Elementary in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school system.
Paradine's first coaching stint at North Carolina took place from August of 1995 to May of 1997 after he coached two years at The Ohio State University from January 1994 to May 1995.
"The launching of intercollegiate men's and women's lacrosse is another tactic in L-R's enrollment & opportunity strategy," said McGeachy.
The addition of the two lacrosse teams will bring the total number of sports at Lenoir-Rhyne to 19. L-R fielded 12 teams prior to McGeachy's arrival as AD in January of 2002.
"I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Hall of Fame coach Willie Scroggs for recruiting me to North Carolina in the late 1980s," said Paradine. "It was a unique privilege to play for both Coach Scroggs and Coach Dave Klarmann. I then had the opportunity to coach at UNC under three great coaches -- Dave Klarmann, John Haus and Joe Breschi, who I had played with in 1990.
"My wife Fran and my three children and I will miss Chapel Hill but the opportunity ahead of me is tremendous. I want to thank all the great student-athletes at UNC who I had a chance to work with as a coach over the last 15 years. They were always an inspiration to me and coaching them has been a thrill I will always treasure."
