Taylor Mendoza

Title

Assistant Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator
Email

tmendoza@wlu.edu
Phone

540-458-8681

Taylor Mendoza is in his fourth season as an assistant men's lacrosse coach at Washington and Lee for the 2025 campaign. He was promoted to Assistant Head Coach ahead of the 2024 season, and he serves as the team's defensive and recruiting coordinator.

With Mendoza’s help, the Generals have continued to be a national power which recently saw the 2024 team reach the NCAA Semifinals and finish 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, the Generals rallied from a seven-goal, second-quarter deficit against top-ranked and undefeated Salisbury for a 16-15 overtime win to advance 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.

In his four seasons on staff, the Generals posted a 63-22 (.719) overall record across with a 36-2 mark in ODAC play. The Generals reached the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons, and won double-digit games in all four seasons. With Mendoza’s help, the W&L men’s lacrosse coaching staff garnered the IMLCA’s top coaching honor in the region three times.

Mendoza has helped coach players to 41 All-ODAC citations, 26 USILA All-America honors and 10 USILA Scholar All-America selections. Additionally, Mendoza mentored Harris Hubbard ’23 to IMLCA South Region Defensive Player of the Year honors, and each starting defenseman has been named to an All-ODAC team each season.

W&L ACCOMPLISHMENTS (63-22, 36-2 ODAC)

3x IMLCA Region Coaching Staff of the Year (2023, 2024, 2025)
USILA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year Award Finalist (2022, 2023)
IMLCA Division III Outstanding Assistant Coach Award (2024)
ODAC Tournament Champions (2023, 2025)
Three NCAA Tournament Appearances (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
41 All-ODAC Selections
Three ODAC Scholar Athletes of the Year
26 USILA All-America Selections
10 USILA Scholar All-America Selections

COACHING RESUME

Washington and Lee Assistant Head Coach (2022-pres.)
- Defensive Coordinator, Director of Recruiting (2022-pres.)
Penn State University Director of Lacrosse Operations (2018-21)
- Overall record of 33-17 (11-9 B1G)
- One NCAA Tournament appearance (2019 Semifinalists)
- One Big Ten Conference Championship (2019)
- Eight USILA All-America Selections
- Four Premier Lacrosse League Draft Picks
Amherst College Assistant Coach (2016-17)
- Overall record of 27-10 (16-4 NESCAC)
- USILA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year Award Finalist (2017)
- Two NCAA Tournament appearances – 2016 Quarterfinals, 2017 Round of 16
- One NESCAC Rookie of the Year (Colin Minicus – 2017)
- 10 All-NESCAC Selections
- One Major League Lacrosse Draft Pick
- Five USILA All-America Selections
Skidmore College Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator (2014-15)

COLLEGIATE CAREER (SUNY CORTLAND ’13)

Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics
Three-year member of the men’s lacrosse team
Overall record of 56-5 (18-0 SUNYAC)
3x SUNYAC Champions (2011-13)
Three NCAA Tournament appearances (2011 Quarterfinals, 2012 Finals, 2013 Semifinals)