PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's lacrosse has announced the hire of Dan Cocchi as an assistant coach. Cocchi comes to RU from Towson, where he recently concluded his seventh season as an assistant coach. Cocchi will be the Scarlet Knights' defensive coordinator.

"It is a pleasure to welcome Dan Cocchi and his family to Rutgers," Brecht said. "I'm very excited to have both a coach and former player with Coach Cocchi's experience and success mentoring our current and future Scarlet Knights. Coach Cocchi has led his defensive units to be some of the best in the country over the past several years, claiming the nation's No. 1 defensive ranking in 2016 and a top-six ranking in three of the past four years. He has coached and played in the NCAA Division I Final Four and has multiple conference championships and postseason success that will be a tremendous asset to provide our student-athletes."
 
"The success our student-athletes have made both on the field and in the classroom, in conjunction with our proud alumni and great administrative support has made Rutgers lacrosse a program to attract the best coaches and players in our recruiting efforts here "On the Banks".
 
Cocchi was on the Towson coaching staff from 2011 to 2018. During that time, the Tigers made four NCAA Tournament appearances and won five NCAA Tournament games, including a berth in the 2017 NCAA Semifinals. Three times in the last four years the Tigers had a top-six defense in the nation. Towson had the best scoring defense in the nation in 2016 at 7.26 goals per game allowed, were fourth best in the nation in 2017 at 7.65 and were sixth in 2015 at 7.72. Under Cocchi's guidance, the Tigers' produced nine All-Americans, three CAA Defensive Players of the Year and 34 CAA Award winners while he was on staff.

"My family and I are very honored to have the opportunity to join the Rutgers University lacrosse family," Cocchi said. "I would like to thank Coach Brecht, Senior Associate Athletic Director Paul Perrier and the rest of the staff for their trust in me to join the program. Coach Brecht has done a tremendous job growing this program and I am excited to continue developing under his leadership. This program has a rich history and I hope to add to that this year. I am very eager to meet the team and get started. I would like to thank Coach Nadelen, the Towson lacrosse staff, administration, players and their families for their unwavering support and guidance over the past seven seasons, without which I would not be in this position today."
 
Cocchi was part of a Towson staff in 2017 that was named the CAA Coaching Staff of the Year. He was also an IMCLA Assistant Coach of the Year finalist that season.
 
Prior to coaching at Towson, Cocchi served as the coach of the University of North Florida. He also coached high school lacrosse in Florida and at Butler University.

As a player, he was a four-year starter at Towson, making a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances in 2001 and 2003, including a berth in the 2001 NCAA semifinals. He was a three-time All-American, and was the 2003 CAA Defensive Player of the Year.

Selected by the Bridgeport Barrage in the fourth round of the 2003 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Collegiate Draft, Cocchi enjoyed a 10-year MLL career, including five seasons with the Long Island Lizards. In 2005, he helped the Baltimore Bayhawks win the MLL title and was selected to play in the 2006 MLL All-Star Game as a member of the Los Angeles Riptide.

Cocchi graduated from Towson in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and received a master's degree in educational technology from Butler University in 2005.

Cocchi is married to the former Kristen Lyons. The couple has two sons, Aidan and Brendan.

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers men's lacrosse, follow the program and Brecht on Twitter (@RUMLax and @RUlaxCoach) and Facebook. Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com. For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.