Matthew Holman joined the women’s lacrosse coaching staff as the volunteer assistant coach in 2017. Holman’s responsibilities include working directly with the Mids’ goalies and defenders.
In 2017, the women’s lacrosse team finished the year 18-5 overall with an 8-1 record in the Patriot League. The team made history as it became the first Service Academy team from a women’s sport to advance to the NCAA Final Four.
The Mids made their fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the first appearance for Navy since 2013. The Midshipmen began their historic run, advancing to the NCAA Tournament after posting a 15-5 victory over top-seeded Loyola in the Patriot League Tournament. The win marked the team’s fifth championship and ended the Greyhounds’ 41-game winning streak against PL foes.
In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Navy defeated No. 7 Penn, 11-10, at Penn Park on Dunning-Cohen Champions Field in Philadelphia, Pa. With the win, the Midshipmen advanced to the second round of the Tournament for just the second time in school history. The victory over the No. 7 Quakers was the first win against a ranked opponent in Navy history. In addition, it was the second NCAA Tournament win for Navy in program history. Navy posted a 23-11 victory over UMass in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the Mids to advance to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals for the first time in program history. The Mids defeated defending National Champions and No. 2 seed North Carolina, 16-14, to punch their ticket in to the first-ever Final Four appearance in school history.
As a team, Navy set the school record for points (545), goals (358), assists (187), shots attempted (805), shots on goal (607), ground balls (453), draw controls (364), caused turnovers (216), and games played (23). The Mids (18-5) finished one-win shy of tying the school records for wins in a season.
The 2017 Navy women’s lacrosse team finished the year ranked fourth in the final Inside Lacrosse Media Poll and sixth in the final IWLCA Coaches Poll. The rankings mark the first time in program history that the Mids have been ranked in the top 10 in either poll. It is the highest national ranking for any women’s team in school history.
Prior to joining the Navy coaching staff, Holman was the Fellowship of Christian Athletes lacrosse coach (2016-17). Holman worked as a lacrosse coach at the Episcopal School of Dallas from January 2013 to November 2015.
Holman graduated from the University of North Carolina in December of 2012 with a Bachelors of Art History. He was a member of the Tar Heel lacrosse team that was an Atlantic Coast Conference finalist in 2012, playing alongside his brother Marcus. Prior to transferring to UNC, Holman attended and played lacrosse at UMBC. Holman is the son of long-time lacrosse coach Brian Holman who is currently the head coach of the University of Utah. Holman is a native of Baltimore and prepped at the Gilman School.
