Sam Jones Named To Men’s Lacrosse Offensive Coordinator Post
9/6/2026 1:39:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
MERCER – First-year head coach James Chakey added another pillar to the anticipated success of the Mercer's men's lacrosse program on Sunday afternoon when he named former Batten head coach and United States Navy SEAL Sam Jones as offensive coordinator for the Bears.
A six-year collegiate coaching veteran, Jones spent the previous two seasons as the head coach at Batten (formerly Virginia Wesleyan).
Jones flourished at the helm of the Batten program, engineering a 5-game turnaround across two seasons (2025-26), including a 2026 campaign that watched the Marlins register an 11-7 clip by an offense that posted 14.3 goals per game and scored 21 or more goals on five occasions. Batten, who keyed its first winning season in more than a decade by capturing seven of its first eight outings, concluded the historic season ranked among the nation's top 40 teams in six statistical categories. Sophomore Miles Fuehler was listed among the nation's elite in both face-off winning percentage (.667) and ground balls per game (8.94). The campaign also produced a trio of All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference selections.
The enthusiastic mentor began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at Virginia Wesleyan in 2020 while still on active duty. He was named head coach of the program prior to the 2025 season through the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Warrior Care Fellowship Program.
A dominant attackman for the Navy Midshipmen from 2011-14, Jones started all 52 games of his career in Annapolis, Md., and ranks in Navy's all-time top 10 for points scored (143) and caused turnovers (34). He scored a goal or an assist in 45 of his 52 career outings and became the 31st player in program history to surpass 100 points. A three-time recipient of the William H. "Dinty" Moore Award as Navy's Outstanding Offensive Player, he also earned multiple all-conference and Inside Lacrosse All-Freshman Team honors as well.
He served 10 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL Officer and has participated in events like the PLL Stars & Stripes Classic, a charity lacrosse match involving professional players and military veterans, where he contributed on the field while representing both the Navy SEAL Foundation and Virginia Wesleyan. During his time at the Naval Academy Prep School, he was honored with the Inaugural 2nd Lt "Bull" Barrett Award, recognizing his outstanding hard work, unwavering dedication to the team, and inspiring leadership qualities.
A native Severna Park, Md., Jones earned his bachelor's degree in foreign affairs from the Naval Academy in 2014 and completed his master's degree in executive leadership from Liberty in 2025. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in performance psychology from Navy as well.
A six-year collegiate coaching veteran, Jones spent the previous two seasons as the head coach at Batten (formerly Virginia Wesleyan).
Jones flourished at the helm of the Batten program, engineering a 5-game turnaround across two seasons (2025-26), including a 2026 campaign that watched the Marlins register an 11-7 clip by an offense that posted 14.3 goals per game and scored 21 or more goals on five occasions. Batten, who keyed its first winning season in more than a decade by capturing seven of its first eight outings, concluded the historic season ranked among the nation's top 40 teams in six statistical categories. Sophomore Miles Fuehler was listed among the nation's elite in both face-off winning percentage (.667) and ground balls per game (8.94). The campaign also produced a trio of All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference selections.
The enthusiastic mentor began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach at Virginia Wesleyan in 2020 while still on active duty. He was named head coach of the program prior to the 2025 season through the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Warrior Care Fellowship Program.
A dominant attackman for the Navy Midshipmen from 2011-14, Jones started all 52 games of his career in Annapolis, Md., and ranks in Navy's all-time top 10 for points scored (143) and caused turnovers (34). He scored a goal or an assist in 45 of his 52 career outings and became the 31st player in program history to surpass 100 points. A three-time recipient of the William H. "Dinty" Moore Award as Navy's Outstanding Offensive Player, he also earned multiple all-conference and Inside Lacrosse All-Freshman Team honors as well.
He served 10 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL Officer and has participated in events like the PLL Stars & Stripes Classic, a charity lacrosse match involving professional players and military veterans, where he contributed on the field while representing both the Navy SEAL Foundation and Virginia Wesleyan. During his time at the Naval Academy Prep School, he was honored with the Inaugural 2nd Lt "Bull" Barrett Award, recognizing his outstanding hard work, unwavering dedication to the team, and inspiring leadership qualities.
A native Severna Park, Md., Jones earned his bachelor's degree in foreign affairs from the Naval Academy in 2014 and completed his master's degree in executive leadership from Liberty in 2025. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in performance psychology from Navy as well.
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