Men's Lacrosse
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator
- Email:
- cfeifs@uncaa.unc.edu
- Phone:
- 919-962-5226
Chris Feifs, a former player at Maryland and offensive coordinator at Virginia Military Institute, was hired in September 2009 as a full-time assistant coach for the North Carolina's men's lacrosse program. Feifs took over for Greg Paradine, who left to become the head coach of the newly started lacrosse program at Lenoir-Rhyne.
This past summer, Feifs was promoted to the position of defensive coordinator on the Tar Heel coaching staff. He is one of the brightest young minds on the defensive end of the field in the college game and should thrive in his new position.
In Feifs' first year as an assistant coach at UNC, he helped lead the Tar Heels to their most successful season since 1993 as Carolina won 13 games and achieved a No. 4 final national ranking. In 2011, the Tar Heels returned to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year with Feifs on the staff and the Tar Heels again reached the NCAA Tournament in 2012. In addition, Carolina was an ACC Tournament finalist last season, only the second time that has happened since 1996.
Since coming to Carolina, Feifs had worked with UNC's face-off men and while also helping in coordinating the Tar Heel defense. In 2012, R.G. Keenan was named a first-team All-America at the face-off position. He was also the first UNC midfielder to make first-team All-America since 1996. Keenan is poised to rewrite all the face-off records at Carolina over the next two years.
"I'm thrilled to have Chris Feifs as a member of the Tar Heel lacrosse family," head coach Joe Breschi says. "Having grown up in the state of North Carolina, Chris has a passion for the game and a tremendous desire to help the Tar Heels continue to build an outstanding overall program, both on and off the field. Chris' character and leadership ability clearly fit the vision I have for the Tar Heel lacrosse program."
Prior to coming to Carolina in 2009, Feifs completed his second year as Coach Jeff Shirk's top assistant at VMI. On July 2, 2007, Feifs was named to the VMI staff as an assistant coach and in the summer of 2008, he was officially given the title of offensive coordinator. In 2008, the Keydets earned their first ever bid to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament, reaching the tournament championship game. It was the first post-season conference tournament bid for VMI in 28 years.
"I love the opportunity I have to work at the University of North Carolina and give back to my home state," says Feifs. "Coach Breschi was inspirational throughout my hiring process and had me looking forward to getting involved in all aspects of the program right from the start. I began my tenure in Chapel Hill with great excitement and anticipation and everything that has happened in the first three years have reaffirmed my feelings."
Feifs came to Carolina with the experience of having played in the ACC as an undergraduate. Feifs rounded out his playing career at Maryland when he served as the co-captain of the 2007 team. Feifs was drafted in the 2007 Major League Lacrosse Supplemental Draft when he was taken by the Boston Cannons in the draft's third round. He played for the Cannons under the stewardship of coach Billy Daye, a 1993 UNC graduate.
In May 2007, Feifs received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Maryland. He posted a 3.5 grade point average and was a three-time selection to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. Feifs played for the Terrapins from 2004-07. As a senior he started 14 of 15 games for the Terps and had 15 goals and four assists for 19 points. He scored four goals against Yale that season, including the game-winning goal and he also put up three goals against Johns Hopkins. He was the first-ever recruit from the state of North Carolina for Maryland's program. The Durham native graduated from Riverside High School in 2004. He was coached by Jim Kirkley at Riverside where he was named a two-time high school All-America. He is the son of Helmuts and Betsy Feifs. He has also spent the past eight summers as a camp instructor for several top lacrosse camps on the East Coast.
