Texas Rio Grande Valley Athletics

Gene McCabe is in his 20th season as the head coach of the Washington and Lee men’s lacrosse program for the 2026 season. He has also served as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance since the 2022-23 academic year, as well as an Associate Professor of Physical Education throughout his tenure.
 
Under McCabe’s guidance, the Generals have continually been a national power which was highlighted with the 2024 team reaching the NCAA Semifinals and finishing as the No. 3-ranked team in Division III in the final USA Lacrosse Magazine poll of the season. In what will go down as one of the most exciting games in program history, McCabe’s Generals rallied from a seven-goal, second-quarter deficit against top-ranked and undefeated Salisbury for a 16-15 overtime win to get the Generals to the national semifinals for the first time since 2002.
 
In 2023, the Generals broke the program record for wins in a season with a mark of 18-5, which included the program’s 12th Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship, before an NCAA Quarterfinal finish (first since 2004). The team’s back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in 2023 and 2024 are the first such occurrence since the program went to three straight from 1998-2000. Most recently, the 2025 Generals went 17-4 for the second-most wins in a season in program history. Over the last three seasons, W&L has the most wins in any three-year span in program history (51) while posting each of three-highest, single-season win totals in program history.
 
Individually, McCabe claims the most wins in program history, posting a 237-109 (.685) overall record across his first 19 seasons. He also boasts nineght NCAA Tournament bids and five ODAC Tournament titles. He has guided W&L to double-digit wins in 15 of his 19 seasons, including 13 of the last 14 years, which have included seven appearances in the ODAC Championship game. He has earned four ODAC Coach of the Year awards, while he and his staff have garnered the IMLCA’s top coaching honor in the region four times.
 
McCabe’s players have also seen profound individual success, which include 141 total All-ODAC selections, five ODAC Players of the Year, two ODAC Rookies of the Year, and 61 USILA All-America selections. Statistically, McCabe has helped his players to nine program records, most recently Alex Brown ’24 for goals in a season (76 in 2024), Tyler Spano ’27 for face-off wins in a season (300 in 2024) and Hudson Pokorny ’23 for assists in a season (59 in 2023).
 
During his time at W&L, McCabe has also served as the President of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) for a two-year term from 2017-2019 after serving as the Vice President for the two years prior. He is also the Vice Chair of Lacrosse the Nations.

W&L ACCOMPLISHMENTS (237-109, 127-25 ODAC)

• 4x ODAC Coach of the Year (2009, 2019, 2023, 2025)
• 4x IMLCA Region Coaching Staff of the Year (2018, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• 5x ODAC Tournament Champions (2009, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2025)
• Nine NCAA Tournament Appearances (2009, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• 141 All-ODAC Selections
• Five ODAC Players of the Year
• Two ODAC Rookies of the Year
• Eight ODAC Scholar Athletes of the Year
• 61 USILA All-America Selections
• 40 USILA Scholar All-America Selections

• Washington and Lee Head Coach (2007-pres.), Asst. Football & Men’s Lacrosse Coach (1998-2001)
• Hamilton Head Coach (2002-06)
  • Overall record of 54-18 (program-record 15 wins in 2003)
  • One NCAA Tournament appearance (2003 Quarterfinalists)
  • One Liberty League Championship (2003)
  • Liberty League Coach of the Year (2003), Coaching Staff of the Year (2006)
  • USILA Division III Coach of the Year (2003)
  • Seven USILA All-America Selections

• Bachelor of Arts degree in European History
• Lettered as a member of the football and men’s lacrosse teams

GENE MCCABE YEAR-BY-YEAR