Ben Whitcraft
| Title: | Assistant Coach |
| Email: | ben.whitcraft@gmail.com |
Ben Whitcraft signed on with Mercer men’s lacrosse as an assistant coach prior to the 2015 season, bringing with him more than three years of experience in the collegiate coaching ranks.
Before his appointment at Mercer, Whitcraft spent one season as head coach at Defiance College, an NCAA Division III member of the Midwest Lacrosse Conference. He also previously served for over two years as the primary assistant coach at Hendrix College in the NCAA Division III Southern Athletic Association.
As a collegiate coach, his guidance has helped produce eight All-Conference award recipients and saw Hendrix equal its program record for season win total. With Whitcraft leading the Hendrix defensive unit, the Warriors finished seventh nationally at 41.4 ground balls per game in 2013 and seventh nationally at 13.53 caused turnovers per game in 2014.
Whitcraft’s coaching experience also extends to the club ranks, where he directed Braveheart Lacrosse in southern New Jersey while working as a full-time lacrosse trainer for Rufflax. During this time Whitcraft also balanced coaching positions with the U.S. U-15 New Jersey-South team, Washington Township High School, Shawnee High School and the South Jersey Black Storm seventh and eighth grade team.
As a player, Whitcraft was a four-year starter at long-stick midfielder for Marymount University in Arlington, Va. He was named captain as a freshman. While at Marymount, Whitcraft captured the school career record with 275 groundballs, as well as the single-season record of 75 groundballs. He was named the team defensive MVP in 2006 and 2007 and received the Coach's Award as a freshman in 2005.
Whitcraft was a two-time first team all-conference selection and team captain as a close defenseman at Shawnee High School in Medford, N.J. He was named defensive MVP twice was an All-South Jersey selection as a senior. He helped SHS to a 32-2 record during his junior and senior seasons. A four-year letterwinner, Whitcraft was selected to play in the Garden State Games.
Whitcraft received his Bachelor of Arts in Communications in 2008 from Marymount. As a student, he was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He also earned Dean's List honors and was a recipient of the All-Academic Award for the 2007-08 school year.
