Virginia Military Institute has hired former Washington and Lee University assistant coach Taylor Mendoza as its new head men’s lacrosse
coach.
Mendoza replaces James Purpura, who was VMI’s head coach for the last five seasons before becoming Ohio State’s new men’s lacrosse offensive coordinator last month. The Keydets are coming off a 10-4 season, earning their most wins in 37 years.
Mendoza comes to VMI after serving the past five years as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at W&L.
This spring, Mendoza helped coach the Generals to a perfect Old Dominion Athletic Conference record to capture the ODAC title, as W&L finished with a 17-4 overall record and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament.
During the spring 2024 season, Mendoza helped guide the Generals to their first NCAA Final Four appearance in over 20 years after upsetting No. 1 Salisbury. For his efforts, he was named the 2024 In- page A11 tercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Association Division III Outstanding Assistant Coach after being named a finalist for the same honor in 2022 and 2023.
“As we went through the process it was clear that Coach Taylor Mendoza was the right leader for our lacrosse program, and the right coach to continue the legacy of VMI Lacrosse,” said VMI Director of Athletics Jamaal Walton. “Taylor has the energy, drive and can-do attitude that I believe will help continue the rise of VMI lacrosse. His approach towards developing a winning program on and off the field was impressive and I have no doubt he will be embraced by Keydet Nation.”
In 2023, Mendoza helped coach W&L to a program-record 18 wins as the Generals achieved a final United State Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association ranking of No.5 en route to an ODAC title and NCAA Elite 8 appearance. That followed a 2022 season in which the Generals made it to the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament and recorded an undefeated ODAC regular season.
“I am incredibly honored to serve as the head lacrosse coach at VMI,” Mendoza said. “It is a great honor to have this opportunity to lead and forge a new chapter in the VMI lacrosse program’s history. Virginia Military Institute stands as one of the finest leadership institutes in the country and it is a privilege to join a community that values honor, character, and service.”
Prior to his time at W&L, Mendoza served as the director of lacrosse operations at Penn State University from 2018 to 2021, helping coach the Nittany Lions to a 33-17 overall record and 11-9 mark in the Big Ten. The 2019 team earned a Big Ten title before reaching the semifinals of the NCAA Division I Tournament.
A former standout collegiate lacrosse player, Mendoza starred at the State University of New York at Cortland where he led the Red Dragons to a 56-5 record over three years and a perfect 18-0 SUNY Athletic Conference record. He was a member of three SUNYAC championship teams from 2011-13 and helped the Red Dragons to three NCAA Tournament appearances (2011 quarterfinals, 2012 finals, 2013 semifinals).
Mendoza graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in business economics.
