Steve Koudelka established the Lynchburg men's lacrosse program as a national powerhouse in his three decades on the Lynchburg sidelines. Since his arrival prior to the 1997 season, Koudelka has recorded an overall record of 366-158, including 26Â winning seasons. Lynchburg has advanced to the NCAA tournament 18Â times with Koudelka at the helm and hoisted the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship trophy 10 times. He was named the 2015 USILA Division III Coach of the Year.
The Hornets made their 13th-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance in 2025 and advanced to the third round of the tournament for the third straight season. Lynchburg ranked inside the top-20 of division III teams across the country for the entire season and had numerous student-athletes achieve conference, state, and national awards. Among those were Jake Rust and Parker Sealey, who were named USILA All-Americans.Â
Lynchburg's 2024 campaign culminated into a fourth-consecutive ODAC Championship title and a win against Pfeiffer in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Four Hornet performer found spots on the USILA All-America list, the largest group of All-Americans for the team since the 2015 season. Goalkeeper Tyler Hadley was named the ODAC Player of the Year and VaSID Defensive Player of the Year.Â
The Hornets secured the top-seed in the ODAC tournament in 2023 for the first time since 2015 as well as their third-consecutive and eighth-total season with 15 or more victories. They also took over the ODAC lead in all-time NCAA tournament wins picking up their 14th and 15th all-time victories. Chris Darminio, Riley Mitchell, and Jake Rust were named All-American by the USILA with four more athletes tabbed as honorable mention.
Koudelka's Hornets added to the trophy case in 2022, laying claim to the program's ninth ODAC championship and carrying the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, where the Hornets finished with a 15-5 record. Four Lynchburg players earned honorable mention All-America honors from the USILA.
In 2021, the Hornets reached the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament after winning their eighth ODAC title. Koudelka coached his team to an 18-3 record.
Lynchburg again reigned supreme in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference in 2018, winning the league tournament for the seventh time in program history. The Hornets accrued a 12-9 record against one of the toughest schedules in Division III and reached the NCAA tournament.
Constructing what could be argued as the two of the toughest schedules, Koudelka has led the Hornets to a combined record of 27-16 over the course of the 2016 and 2017 seasons. In both seasons Lynchburg made the ODAC championship game and NCAA appearances, advancing as far as the quarterfinals in 2017.
The 2015 campaign was the most successful in program history. The Hornets finished 21-3, won the ODAC title, and advanced all the way to the NCAA Division III Tournament finals. Lynchburg won four tournament games en route to the finals and had a 19-game winning streak. Koudelka was named the All-State Coach of the Year for his efforts.
In 2014, Koudelka led the Hornets to the ODAC tournament championship, an NCAA berth, and a share of the ODAC regular season title. On March 16, he won his 200th victory for Lynchburg, by defeating Colorado College 10-9. Lynchburg made the NCAA Second Round for the third-straight year.
The 2013 edition did not win the ODAC title, but it made no difference as the team was awarded an at-large berth and a home game in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Lynchburg defeated St. Mary's (MD) College and then beat ODAC rival Roanoke College in second round to advance to the National Quarterfinals.
2012 was a banner year for Koudelka. The program set the record for most wins in a season with 17, which included a 16-game winning streak, the longest in Lynchburg history. For these efforts, he was named ODAC Men's Lacrosse Coach of the Year. The Hornets place 11 members on the All-ODAC team, including player of the year, Joe Lisicky. Lynchburg won the program's fourth conference title and advanced to the NCAA tournament.
In 2011, Koudelka was voted on by his peers as the ODAC Men's Lacrosse Coach of the Year following the squad's second-straight 13-win season and trip to the conference title game. The 2008 squad boasted a program record 16 wins and also established a school record by winning 14 straight games en route to the ODAC Championship. The 2007 season saw the Hornets win 13 games for the third-straight season. In 2006, the Hornets finished 13-4 overall and were ranked #2 in the nation at midseason, the highest ranking in program history. Lynchburg won its second ODAC title in 2005 with an 11-10 win over Roanoke. Lynchburg defeated Denison College in the second-round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, the team's first victory in NCAA Tournament in history, and was a goal away from reaching the Final Four.
The 2004 team finished 9-5 overall and in 2003, the Hornets won their first ODAC title and advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament for the second time in program history. The 2003 team also finished with a 12-5 record and ended the campaign with a No. 6 national ranking. His 2002 team set a new school record with a seven-game winning streak and reached No. 13 in the NCAA Division III poll. Lynchburg finished 11-4 overall. Koudelka's 1999 squad posted an 11-5 mark en route to the program's first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. The 2000 campaign saw the Lynchburg men earn a share for second place in the ODAC, their best ODAC finish since 1984.
Koudelka was selected to coach at the 2000 North-South All-Star game and was the past-president of the US Lacrosse Men's Division Coaches' Council Executive Committee. He is currently the chairperson of the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championships Committee.
Prior to assuming the head post at Lynchburg, Koudelka spent three years as graduate assistant coach at Gettysburg College, where he was a two-time All-America goalkeeper. He was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in the fall of 2006.
The Long Valley, N.J. native earned his bachelor's degree from Gettysburg in 1993 and his master's degree from Western Maryland College in 1996. He was one of just 12 goalkeepers invited to try out for the 1998 U.S. World Team. Koudelka played professionally for two seasons with the New Jersey Pride for Major League Lacrosse. Koudelka and his wife, Amy, have three children, Holly, Billy and Mary.
