Cam Holding named 2018 MCLA D1 Coach of the Year
Michigan State coaches (L-R): Nate Small, Cam Holding & D.J. Lubs with the 2018 MCLA Championship Trophy
Michigan State's head coach Cam Holding has been named the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association 2018 D1 Coach of the Year. He led the #3 seeded Spartans (18-2) to the MCLA National Championship May 12 when they defeated the #1 seeded Chapman Panthers 10-8 in Salt Lake City.
The Whitby Ontario Canada native has had a illustrious lacrosse playing career in the MCLA for Grand Valley State, for NCAA D2 at Florida Southern and in both professional lacrosse leagues: the MLL (Denver Outlaws) and NLL (Colorado Mammoth). He also led Team Canada to the FIL World Championship in 2014 against Team USA and scored a goal from his defensive midfield position. Holding suffered a knee injury during this year's Team Canada tryouts for the 2018 FIL games in Israel kept him on the sideline this spring and not playing for the Colorado Mammoth of the NLL.
"Getting injured and not being able to play the MLL schedule with the Mammoth kept me in Michigan and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I was able to attend all of the team's practices, travel with the team (over 13,000 miles this season) and be on the sideline for all the games. That was not always possible in previous years when my pro lacrosse responsibilities would conflict with the team's schedule. I'm fortunate to be the head coach at Michigan State - I absolutely love what the players, their families, Rec Sports and the alumni have helped to build here. I'm finding that I enjoy coaching as much as I do playing and so all of the challenges with my knee have worked out for the best." Head Coach Cam Holding
Holding gives credit to defensive coordinator D.J. Lubs and the defensive unit who held all Spartan opponents to single digit scoring this season. He also credits Assistant Coach Nate Small with providing offensive schemes and running the substitution box during the games.