Orange legend Regy Thorpe ’01 believes home is more than a place—it’s a state of mind. So, when he was tapped to lead Syracuse’s women’s lacrosse program, the Hall of Famer didn’t have far to go.
“My wife and I never sold our house in Elbridge,” admits Thorpe, who previously coached at the University of Florida. “We kept coming back to Central New York for summers and holidays.”
Following a two-week national search in May, Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack ’80 named Thorpe the program’s fourth head coach. The former All-American didn’t need much convincing, having served on the women’s lacrosse staff from 2010-19 and led the men’s program to title games in 1992-93 as a player.
Head coach Regy Thorpe ’01 and assistant coach Nicole Levy ’19 at the Orange's season opener against Maryland. "We have a dream staff here," says Levy, who previously worked with Thorpe at Florida.
“To say this is my ‘dream job’ doesn’t do it justice,” says Thorpe, who coached his Syracuse predecessor, Kayla Treanor ’16, more than a decade ago. “I’m excited to contribute to our culture of excellence in ways that I haven’t before. It’s a full-circle moment.”
Thorpe is optimistic about the Orange’s 2026 campaign, which includes five Atlantic Coast Conference battles at home.
Alongside associate head coach Caitlin Watkins and assistant coaches Maggie Koch and Nicole Levy ’19, he’s eager to see his team best last year’s 10-9 record.
“We have a championship-or-bust mentality,” says Thorpe, reveling in his first NCAA head coaching gig. “Our team has an explosive attack, a fearless defense and a tight-knit culture.”
Developing Lacrosse IQ
A student of the mental game of lacrosse, Thorpe is revered for his tactical knowledge, situational awareness and split-second decision-making.
Any discussion about Syracuse lacrosse inevitably includes Thorpe, his colleague Gary Gait ’90 and their former coach, Roy Simmons Jr. ’59, H’14.
A common thread among them—and alumni coaches, in general—is an innate understanding of campus culture. “Syracuse is a lacrosse town, and the University is a lacrosse school,” says Thorpe, who is beloved by fans and alumni alike.
Lacrosse is different from other team sports in that it doesn’t focus solely on competition, he explains. “The game’s Indigenous roots give players a sense of identity and community, regardless of their background.”
A student of the mental game of lacrosse, Thorpe is revered for his tactical knowledge, situational awareness and split-second decision-making.
These skills contribute to his “lacrosse IQ,” which Wildhack considers just as important as physical prowess. “Regy Thorpe is a championship-caliber coach, an elite recruiter and an enthusiastic mentor whose vision aligns with and supports our ambitious goals.”
At the top of Thorpe’s to-do list is to bring home the program’s first national title. Going 3-7 in championship semifinal appearances, the Orange are hungry.
Thorpe, who has led teams to eight NCAA Lacrosse Championship Weekends, intends to deliver. “I’m telling everyone not to make summer plans until after Memorial Day,” he says.
On a Heater
“Syracuse is a lacrosse town, and the University is a lacrosse school,” says Thorpe, shown here as a member of the men’s lacrosse program. As a student-athlete, he was considered the NCAA’s top defender.
Thorpe discovered lacrosse relatively late—seventh grade, to be exact. “We were a wrestling family,” says the athletic polymath, who grew up near Auburn, New York.
When his older brother decided to try out for Jordan-Elbridge’s modified lacrosse program, Thorpe helped him choose a stick. There in the lacrosse aisle of MarJax, a now defunct sporting goods store, Thorpe glimpsed his future.
A stellar high school career ensued. His wrestling coach Mike Frood prepared him for the “physicality” of box lacrosse and the “endurance and capacity” of field lacrosse. “Coach gave me a crash course in strength and conditioning,” Thorpe adds.
His game improved considerably during a two-year run at Herkimer College, where the legendary Paul Werhum honed Thorpe’s defensive chops while preparing him for Orange lacrosse, which was achieving dynastic proportions.
Simmons’ creative, run-and-gun approach at Syracuse appealed to Thorpe, who, by then, was arguably the NCAA’s top defender. He led the Orange to the 1992 title game and captained their fifth national championship a year later.
Thorpe is accustomed to success, having led the Orange to the 1992 title game and captained their fifth national championship a year later.
“Coach Simmons was an innovator who opened my eyes to the history and culture of the Creator’s Game,” Thorpe gushes. “Because of him, I’ve worked with many Indigenous players, including the great Oren Lyons [’58, H’93], who co-founded the Haudenosaunee Nationals.”
After graduation, Thorpe became a force on the field, on the sidelines and in the front office—sometimes all at once. He famously wore multiple hats for the Rochester Knighthawks and then the New York Riptide, both affiliated with the indoor National Lacrosse League.
Thorpe also coached the Nationals, the U.S. Lacrosse Indoor Box Lacrosse World Team and the Long Island Sound, leading the latter to an undefeated season and a United Women’s Lacrosse League championship in 2017.
The player-coach was on a heater in 2010, when Gait invited him to join his staff at Syracuse. Together, they turned the women’s program into a national juggernaut. Six Championship Weekend appearances. Two national championship bouts. Four regular season conference titles. Two conference tournament crowns. And plenty of NCAA player awards, including a few for Thorpe’s daughter, Ella ’16.
Although they had professionally played against one another, Thorpe didn’t fully appreciate Gait’s mastery until working under him. “For all the differences between men’s and women’s lacrosse, Gary taught me that, fundamentally, the game is the same,” says Thorpe, whose son, Gale, also played for the Orange. “He prepared me for what I’m doing today.”
Life Is a Resume
Thorpe’s blue-collar ethos and warm paternal presence bely a championship-or-bust mentality. “Our team has an explosive attack, a fearless defense and a tight-knit culture,” says the former All-American.
Grit. Patience. Perseverance. Some of the skills that Thorpe is drawing on to make this season historic.
Then there are his idiosyncrasies. Former goalkeeper Alyssa Costantino ’14 recalls how, in the locker room before each game of the 2013 season, Thorpe instructed his players to drive a nail into a wooden stump. It didn’t disappear into the log until the end of postseason, signifying that their work was done.
She and other players also reflect on Thorpe’s blue-collar ethos, warm paternal presence and memorable pregame speeches.
“You could be having the worst day of your life, and he would come in with a speech that got you fired up,” says former midfielder Julie Cross ’19.
To say this is my ‘dream job’ doesn’t do it justice. I’m excited to contribute to our culture of excellence in ways that I haven’t before. It’s a full-circle moment.
Syracuse Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Regy Thorpe ’01
Thorpe is not the only one excited about his homecoming. Levy, whom he recruited as a player for the Orange and as an offensive coordinator for the Gators, is thrilled to be back on Syracuse soil. “We have a dream staff here,” she says.
Helping others find their purpose—in sports, academics and life—is Thorpe’s calling. He believes in “walking the talk” when it comes to goals and values.
“Life is a resume,” says Thorpe, citing his favorite Werhum quote. “Every encounter, every experience, defines who I am and who I’m becoming.”
