Fairfield University Athletics

The 2019 season will mark Andy Whitley’s 10th campaign with Fairfield University Men’s Lacrosse. He was named the Associate Head Coach following the 2015 season.

Whitley came to Fairfield prior to the 2010 season in a volunteer coaching role and became a full-time member of Andy Copelan’s staff beginning in the 2013 campaign. His tenure includes a run of three conference regular season championships (ECAC in 2014, CAA in 2015 and 2016) and the Stags’ highest-ever USILA national ranking (#11 in 2012).

Whitley’s on-field responsibilities include working with Fairfield’s goalkeepers and faceoff specialists. He is also heavily involved in the program’s recruiting efforts and the day-to-day operations of the men’s lacrosse office.

Under Whitley’s tutelage, faceoff specialist Will Fox was named the Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year in 2015 and Second Team All-CAA in 2016. Fox finished his career ranked second all-time in program history in faceoff percentage (.555), faceoff wins (503) and ground balls (220).

Fox’s predecessor at the ‘X’, Michael Roe '14, also graduated ranked among Fairfield’s all-time leaders in every major faceoff category.
Whitley’s protégé’s in the cage include Tyler Behring '17, a three-time All-CAA honoree. He previously mentored ECAC Goalkeepers of the Year Jack Murphy ’15 and Charlie Cipriano ’12, both of whom are currently playing professionally in the Major League Lacrosse ranks.

Whitley was also an assistant coach for the Puerto Rico Lacrosse Men's National Team at the FIL World Championships in Netanya, Israel in the summer of 2018. Puerto Rico finished eighth in the world in their inaugural appearance at the tournament.

Whitley came to Fairfield from Yale University, where he spent three seasons (2007-09) coaching the Bulldogs’ goalkeepers. Whitley, who began coaching at the collegiate level in 1997 as an assistant coach at Wesleyan University, has also coached scholastically at The Hopkins School in New Haven.

In the private sector, Whitley was the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ankeny Homes, LLC, a small private equity firm, from 2001-08. He was also the Vice President for U.S. Operations of Athletes, Inc. – an international professional sports management firm – from 1996-2001.

As a student-athlete, Whitley earned a pair of varsity letters at Franklin & Marshall College. The two-time All-Centennial Conference goalkeeper guided the Diplomats to an NCAA postseason berth in 1995. He graduated from Franklin & Marshall in 1996 ranked among the program’s all-time leaders in saves and save percentage. Whitley began his collegiate career at Alfred University and made two NCAA postseason trips with the Saxons.

Whitley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Franklin & Marshall in 1996.