BUENA VISTA, Va. - After a nationwide search, Southern Virginia University Director of Athletics Josh Monsen has announced the hiring of Luke Christiansen as head coach of the men's lacrosse program.
Christiansen spent the last eight years building a national powerhouse at William Penn, guiding the program since its inaugural campaign in 2019 and helping them become perennial contenders in the national tournament, including a final four appearance in 2026, and four consecutive conference championships.
"Coach Christiansen's success building programs gives him the right foundation to recruit, retain, lead, and win, all while staying aligned with our Christ-centered mission," said Monsen. "We are thrilled for this next chapter and can't wait to see the incredible impact he will make on and off the field."
During his time in the Midwest, he became the winningest coach in the history of the Kansas Collegiate Athletics Conference as well as the Heart of America Athletic Conference. He compiled 76 wins and coached his athletes to 22 All-American selections, 43 all-conference players, seven Offensive and Defensive Conference Players of the Year, one Conference Newcomer of the Year, and two Conference Freshmen of the Year.
An alumnus of Southern Virginia University, Christiansen earned undergraduate degrees in Creative Writing and Spanish. He was a student-athlete on the lacrosse and football teams from 2005-2008.
Since then, he's earned a Master's degree in Photography and most recently completed a Master of Fine Arts in Image Text from Cornell University.
Christiansen expressed great excitement about his move back to Buena Vista.
"Southern Virginia University is one of one and provides an education on par with any other in the country. I'm excited for my children to be here in this wonderfully enriching environment. Ever since I was a student-athlete here, I've had a very lofty vision for the program. Now it's time to put that to the test."
Before William Penn, he held the position of head coach for East Carolina's club team, Camden Military Academy, and most prominently, the Spanish National Team (2014-2016), where he became the winningest coach in the country's history. Spain turned in its best-ever international outing at the 2016 European Championships under his watch and statistically developed its best defense in program history.
The Knights have won a tournament championship and two regular season titles since joining the USA South in 2021. They'll look to return to championship form under Christiansen's watch.
For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_mlax on Instagram.
