John Odierna was named the fifth head coach in the varsity history of Fairfield Men's Lacrosse on June 9, 2026. Most recently the Defensive Coordinator at Syracuse, Odierna comes to Fairfield on the heels of back-to-back Final Four appearances with the Orange.
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In Odierna's three seasons at Syracuse, the Orange posted a 38-18 overall record. Working alongside Head Coach Gary Gait, Odierna helped lead Syracuse to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2024 followed by NCAA Final Four trips in 2025 and 2026. The Orange also won the 2025 ACC Tournament Championship. This spring, Odierna mentored defensemen Billy Dwan III and Riley Figueiras to USILA All-America laurels.
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Prior to his time at Syracuse, Odierna gained head coaching experience at Manhattan University (then Manhattan College). In his lone season at the helm in 2023, he guided the Jaspers to the MAAC Regular Season Championship with a 10-5 overall mark and a 7-2 tally in the MAAC. For his efforts, Odierna was named the 2023 MAAC Coach of the Year.
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His head coaching stint was the final season of an eight-year run at Manhattan. As Defensive Coordinator, he assembled and developed a unit that ranked in the top five nationally in man-down defense three times and led the nation in scoring defense in 2023 with 8.00 goals allowed per game – the lowest scoring average in Division I in the five seasons since the shot clock was introduced.
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Manhattan won the MAAC Regular Season Championship in 2021 and claimed the MAAC Tournament Championship in 2022 to reach the NCAA postseason for the first time in two decades.
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Odierna began his coaching career in the Division III ranks with stints at Colby College and Stevens Institute of Technology.
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As a student-athlete Odierna was a defenseman for four seasons at Gettysburg College, where he earned a USILA All-America Honorable Mention and USILA Scholar All-American recognition as a senior team captain in 2011. The Bullets reached the NCAA Tournament in all four of his seasons at Gettysburg, including a Division III Final Four appearance in 2008 and a trip to the Division III Championship Game in 2009.
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Hailing from Oyster Bay, New York, Odierna was a three-sport athlete (lacrosse, football, basketball) at Cold Spring Harbor High School. He earned a B.A. in Management from Gettysburg in 2011 and owns an M.S. in Management from Stevens Institute of Technology.
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Odierna has been married to his wife, Marisa, since 2018.
What They're Saying
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Gary Gait, Syracuse Head Coach
"Fairfield got a great one. Coach Odierna is an even better person than coach. He's loved by his players and is invested in student-athlete success. He's one of the best defensive minds in the country and I know he'll do great things at Fairfield."
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Peter Milliman, Johns Hopkins Head Coach
"John is an excellent coach who has found success at every stop of his career. He is a tireless recruiter and a passionate educator with a real hunger to continue learning more about the game. Fairfield Lacrosse is getting a great coach to lead their program."
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Drew Kelleher, Vermont Head Coach and Former Manhattan Head Coach
"John Odierna is a rising star in the lacrosse world. The Fairfield community is gaining a coach who has a dynamic personality and cares a ton for his student-athletes. He will do great things for the Stags!"
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Paul Carcaterra, ESPN
"John Odierna is a fantastic lacrosse coach; he has the ability to teach the game and make it very digestible for his players. He also has a unique skill for identifying and developing talent. More importantly, he coaches with passion, energy, and heart that is contagious around his players and program. John is a great person who people want to be around because of his infectious personality. He is a star in the profession and will elevate the Fairfield program to new heights!"
