Lacrosse Coach Honored With Award: Greenwich Country Day School

GREENWICH, CT — Andrew "Andy" Copelan, head coach of the Greenwich Country Day School boys varsity lacrosse team as well as the Waterdogs of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), was named the PLL 2021 Coach of the Year on Friday, according to a news release from GCDS.

Copelan was nominated for the award by PLL players, team staff, and fellow coaches. Following the preliminary nominations, the media, PLL front office, and PLL Advisory Board voted to select the award recipient. Honorees attended an awards ceremony last Friday in Washington, D.C.

"Individual awards in a team sport really are team awards," Copelan said in a news release. "Great players make coaches look good, and great assistant coaches make the head coach look good. I am fortunate to have both."

GCDS Head of School Adam Rohdie said he was excited for Copelan to receive the honor. He noted that GCDS student athletes have been greatly impacted by him.

"It is truly incredible that the coach of the year in the professional lacrosse league is also our head lacrosse coach. The young men on our team have already received remarkable skills training and insights from Coach Copelan," Rohdie said in a news release. "After a couple of challenging seasons due to the pandemic, I am so looking forward to seeing him coach his first full season; the team is going to have a great year. I know the whole GCDS community joins me in congratulating Coach Copelan on this achievement!"

GCDS Athletic Director Tim Helstein also congratulated and praised Copelan.

"I cannot think of someone more deserving of this award. He devotes his heart and soul into both the game and the boys. Andy brings the best out of his players, and they do everything to give their best to him," said Helstein in a news release. "I'm not just talking about skill. I'm talking about comradery, unity, determination, and focus. Those who play for him don't just become better lacrosse players, they become better people. To hear the way his players speak about him as a coach and mentor is all the proof you need to see why he was selected as the PLL Coach of the Year."

Copelan's latest award adds to his long resume as a lacrosse player and coach.

According to a news release, Copelan was inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse Rochester Chapter Hall of Fame in 2018. He also has four Patriot League titles as an athlete at Bucknell University. Prior to joining the Waterdogs, Copelan coached college lacrosse for 16 years, including 11 years as the head coach of the Fairfield University men’s lacrosse team (2008-2019).

In addition, Copelan served as the assistant coach at the University of Maryland for two years (2006-2008) and led Marist College to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2005 as their head coach (2004-2006).

"To coach with and against the best players in the world has been a lot of fun. I love what the PLL is doing for lacrosse and for the future of our sport," Copelan said in a news release.