Vice President of University Athletics Ray Anderson announced the hiring of Tim McCormack, formerly the assistant coach at 2019 Final Four participant Northwestern and standout goalkeeper at University of Massachusetts, as the Head Coach of the Sun Devil Women's Lacrosse program on June 12, 2019.
"It's a crucial time in the youth of our women's lacrosse program, and Tim brings a wealth of experience and success from his coaching and playing career to this program," said Anderson. "We feel fortunate to have him lead this program and join our Sun Devil family."
"I am incredibly honored to join Arizona State University as the Women's Lacrosse Head Coach. With the support of Ray Anderson, Don Bocchi and Christina Wombacher, I look forward to building a nationally competitive program in Tempe" said Coach McCormack. "With its world-class academia and outstanding facilities, ASU offers truly a one-of-a-kind experience for its student-athletes. I would also like to thank Northwestern's head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller and her husband Scott Hiller for their mentorship over the past six years."
In three seasons in Tempe, McCormack directed one of the nation's biggest turnarounds. He finished has a 26-17 record as the Head Coach at Arizona State. To put that in perspective, ASU was 12-24 in the previous two seasons under the previous coaching staff. He has put Sun Devil Lacrosse on the map, creating national buzz around the program.
2022 (Pac-12 Coach of the Year)
In 2022, the Sun Devils finished third in the Pac-12 for the first time, earning their first berth in the Pac-12 Lacrosse Tournament Championship game. They finished the season ranked No. 18 in the nation according to the IWLCA/IL Top-25, the first time the program has finished in the Top-25. They spent a majority of the season ranked in at least one of the two national polls thanks to several key victories.
Due to these achievements, the man responsible for it all was once again recognized. Coach McCormack was selected as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year for the second straight season, the conference announced as part of their postseason awards. He becomes the first Arizona State Head Coach to win the award this academic year. McCormack joins a list of the best coaches to ever call Tempe home, as the 78th Sun Devil since 1979 to earn conference coach of the year honors.
McCormack was also the only ASU Head Coach to receive the award last year, as he took home 2021 Pac-12 Coach of the Year. This makes him one of only 15 head coaches in the history of Sun Devil Athletics to win back-to-back conference coach of the year honors. He is the first to accomplish the feat since Zeke Jones was named Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year in both 2017 & 2018. Included on this exclusive list are legendary head coaches Linda Vollstedt, Jim Brock, John Spini, and Greg Kraft.
Following the 2022 season, a Sun Devil received an All-American honor for the first time. Inside Lacrosse named both attackers Carley Adams and Emily Glagolev to their honorable mention All-American team. U.S. Lacrosse Magazine had Adams, Glagolev, and defender Bella Gaspar to their All-American honorable mention list. The national recognition does not stop there, as a Sun Devil was named National Player of the Week on two occasions. Taylor Pinzone was named Inside Lacrosse Player of the Week on 4/4 after an upset win over No. 14 Rutgers. Carley Adams was named U.S. Lacrosse Magazine Player of the Week on 4/11 after the program’s first win over Stanford.
In addition to the national awards, ASU cleaned up in the conference awards. Adams, Glagolev, Gaspar, and midfielder Taylor Pinzone were also each named to the Pac-12 All-Conference First Team, the most first team selections in program history. Arizona State was tied with Stanford for the most First Team selections. During the season, a Sun Devil won Pac-12 Player of the Week six times. This includes freshman goalkeeper Katie Vahle, who was a four-time defensive player of the week honoree, the most weekly awards in single-season program history.
Attacker Carley Adams wrapped up her incredible career with 140 goals, 55 assists, and 195 points in 76 games. Coach McCormack may have not had a bigger impact on anyone besides Adams, as the comparisons before/after his arrival are staggering. In 33 games during her first two seasons, Adams accounted for 13 goals and two assists (15 points). In the 43 games since, Adams has scored 127 goals and dished out 53 assists (180 points), developing into one of the nation’s premier attackers.
Fellow attacker Emily Glagolev will join Adams in occupying plenty of real estate in the Sun Devil record book. Glagolev finished her career with gaudy numbers, leaving as the program’s all-time assist leader. She played in 78 career games, scoring 130 goals and dishing out 152 assists. Glagolev emerged as one of the nation’s best dual-threat offensive weapons, showing off her ability to both pass and score. She finished as one of only four players in the country with 40+ goals and 40+ assists.
Freshman goalkeeper Katie Vahle thrived immediately under the mentorship of former goalkeeper Tim McCormack. She earned the job from day one, starting all 19 games in net for the Sun Devils despite it being her first year. The transition was seamless, with Vahle matching a single-season program record with 10 wins. She caught the attention of the conference and the nation with several big-time performances, playing her best against the toughest competition.
Midfielder Taylor Pinzone was exactly what the Sun Devils needed, fitting in perfectly in the midfield after transferring from Northwestern. The impact McCormack had on Pinzone was undeniable, as she elevated her game to another level after arriving in Tempe. In 19 games of her Arizona State career, Pinzone finished with 41 goals and 13 assists (54 points). In 50 games with the Wildcats, she had 34 goals and six assists (40 points).
Coach McCormack took pride in putting together an extremely tough schedule, as the Sun Devils were viewed extremely favorably by the metrics. ASU had the 12th-ranked overall strength of schedule, which included the second-best non-conference strength of schedule in the nation. Because of the nature of their slate, the Sun Devils were in strong contention for a NCAA tournament berth with a RPI of 24. Several impressive wins made their postseason resume even more appealing.
They built on the regular season conference success with a historical run in the Pac-12 Lacrosse Tournament. Arizona State became the first team besides Stanford, USC, or Colorado to make it to the conference championship game. They got there by defeating Cal for the seventh straight time and knocking off No. 16 USC in the semifinal round one day later.
Not only did McCormack’s team excel on the field, but he prioritized academics and community in his program. A total of 16 individuals received an undergraduate or graduate degree this Spring, with the rest on track to do the same in future semesters. The team boasted a 3.58 GPA in the Fall and participated in several Sun Devil Athletics’ sponsored community service events.
The future of the program is extremely bright, with a talented 2022 signing class entering the fold next year. Freshman have been known to make an impact under Coach McCormack, attracting some of the nation’s top recruits to Tempe.
2021 (Pac-12 Coach of the Year)
McCormack was the architect of a massive improvement over the past two seasons, resulting in a 10-6 campaign in 2021. The program accomplished many firsts in only his second season in charge, including its first victory over a Top-20 team, first ranking in a major national Top-25 poll, and the first 10-win season.
Thanks to his efforts, he selected as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year, an award voted on by the other coaches in the league. McCormack's turnaround effort clearly impressed his peers. He was the first and only Arizona State Head Coach to win the award this academic year. McCormack joins a list of the best coaches to ever call Tempe home, as the 77th Sun Devil since 1979 to earn conference coach of the year honors. He is the first to do it since Sun Devil Wrestling Head Coach Zeke Jones was named the 2020 Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
Under Coach McCormack's tutelage, attackers Carley Adams and Emily Glagolev along with defender Bella Gaspar were named to the All-Conference First Team, becoming the first Sun Devils to accomplish the feat. Goalkeeper Berkeley Bonneau, attacker Kerri Clayton, and midfielder/draw specialist Maura Cissel earned a spot on the second team. Of the 24 players to earn a spot, six of them were from Arizona State, a reflection of the strength of the roster.
As voted on by the coaches of the Pac-12, the Sun Devils tied Pac-12 Regular Season and Tournament Champion Stanford for most selections in the conference. In the previous two seasons of the All-Conference Team prior to Coach McCormack's arrival, Arizona State only had a total of three selections.
Of the possible 20 recipients of a Pac-12 Player of the Week award in 2021, ten were Sun Devils. ASU has earned six offensive and four defensive player of the week selections, an indication of the balance of the team. Arizona State has now had 13 individuals receive the top weekly conference honor in Head Coach Tim McCormack's two seasons, after previously only winning the award three times in the two prior seasons.
The ten wins were the most in a single-season, as Coach McCormack moved to 15-9 as the Head Coach. Arizona State was 12-24 in the previous two seasons under the previous coaching staff. The Sun Devils finished fourth in the Pac-12 standings for the first time, with a 5-4 record. In the previous three seasons, they had a combined four conference wins. Coach McCormack led the program to its first Pac-12 Tournament victory, defeating No. 5 seed Cal in the opening round to earn a berth in the conference semifinals.
The Maroon & Gold rank in the Top-10 nationally in assists/game (2nd), scoring offense (8th), and draw controls/game (9th). In the 24 games of Coach McCormack's tenure, Arizona State has scored 15+ goals in 16 games and 20+ goals in eight contests. His team enjoyed a five-game win streak earlier in the season, the longest in school history (previous long was 3). They outscored opponents 94-51 during that span.
McCormack had the Sun Devils in contention for an at-large tournament bid, with the team finishing at No. 34 in the RPI. They had no bad losses on their resume and challenged themselves with a road non-conference matchup against tournament participant No. 12 Denver.
The program picked up its first-ever victories over Colorado and USC in Coach McCormack's first matchup with the Pac-12 powers. ASU had previously been outscored by the Buffaloes 62-15 in four all-time matchups and USC had an 83-25 advantage in five previous meetings under the previous staff. The Sun Devils also earned a season sweep of Cal, the second time that ASU has swept a conference opponent (previous was Oregon in 2019). It was the first time they had beaten a team three times in one season.
Fans at Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium have been treated to brilliant lacrosse, as ASU finished 6-2 at home in 2021, outscoring opponents by a total score of 144-92. They could get it done on the road as well, snapping USC's eight-game home winning streak with a 20-11 win on March 19th.
The 11-goal victory USC's largest margin of defeat to a Pac-12 opponent. The 20 goals matched the most that USC had allowed in a game ever, a total reached by No. 2-ranked Boston College in the 2017 NCAA Quarterfinals.
The loss to Arizona State was the first time USC lost to an unranked opponent since an 18-11 loss to Oregon (April 8, 2018) but that was on the road – it was the first time USC fell to an unranked foe at home since April 18, 2014 (a 10-8 loss to Oregon) when USC was also unranked. Meaning the Maroon & Gold became the first unranked team to beat a ranked Trojans' squad at home.
The Sun Devils forced a running clock midway through the second half in the two sides first meeting of 2021, only the second time that an opponent had accomplished that feat against the Trojans at McAlister Field. The only other team to achieve a double-digit lead in a road matchup with USC was Northwestern way back in the Trojans' first game as a program in 2013.USC has had running clock on it only two other times in the history of the program: Apr. 8, 2018 – at Oregon and Feb. 23, 2021 – at Stony Brook.
Coach McCormack's team excels on the field and in the classroom, with the team boasting a record 3.64 Fall semester G.P.A. Several Sun Devils are candidate for Pac-12 Honor Roll selection. A total of 17 members of the program graduated in the Spring with some in the midst of earning graduate degrees.
He also signed a loaded 2021 signing class made up of several highly-skilled prospects from all around the continent, continuing to prove there are no limits to where they can find talent. The class is made up of six versatile midfielders, three dangerous attackers, a promising goalkeeper, and a tough defender. Freshman have made an immediate impact under Coach McCormack, with Bella and Gigi Gaspar starting every game on defense for the Sun Devils. With Tim McCormack at the helm the future of Sun Devil Lacrosse is in good hands.
2020 (COVID-shortened season)
In an abbreviated first season at the helm of the Sun Devil Lacrosse program, McCormack's team began building the winning culture that he brought with him to Tempe. A high-powered offense relying on a balanced attack featuring multiple scoring threats helped Arizona State get off to a 5-3 start before the season was cut short. Fans got a glimpse of the fast-paced, up-tempo style that Coach McCormack wants his program to be known for. Despite only having eight games to learn a brand-new system, the Sun Devil defense showed flashes of brilliance, playing a controlled and discipline brand of lacrosse. Goalkeeper Berkeley Bonneau thrived under the tutelage of McCormack, the former All-American goalkeeper at UMass, earning one of only five Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors handed out in 2020. She was one of three Sun Devils to win a Pac-12 Player of the Week honor in the five weeks of the award, joined by attackers Kerri Clayton and Emily Glagolev, who each won Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week. In the two years prior to Coach McCormack's arrival, Arizona State only had two Player of the Week honors total.
The offense saw a considerable jump in production compared to last season, thriving under the direction of the new coaching staff. Through eight games, Arizona State scored at least 18 goals four different times, a feat they accomplished only twice last season. ASU had 16 or more goals in six of their eight games. The Sun Devils were the highest scoring offense in the Pac-12 conference and the 12th-best in the country, averaging 16.38 goals/game. As a result of a balanced attack that featured multiple dangerous scoring options, the Maroon & Gold averaged the third-most assist/game in the country (9.5). In a historic victory over Detroit in only his second game as Head Coach, McCormack's Sun Devils scored 24 goals with 13 different goal scored, both representing new program records. Additionally, the 18-goal margin of victory (24-6) matched a program-high.
The coaching staff managed to utilize the skill sets of several standout individuals perfectly, as Kerri Clayton and Emily Glagolev excelled in the new system. Clayton was unstoppable during the eight-game run, racking up 41 points (29 goals & 12 assists). She recorded a hat trick in each of her first seven games, proving why she was considered one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the country. Glagolev was the main facilitator, operating the offense at a high level. She dished out an incredible 24 assists in only eight games, the third-best mark in the country. She added 13 goals to give her 37 points, ranking in the Top-20 nationally (19th) along with teammate Kerri Clayton (14th).
Goalkeeper Berkeley Bonneau and the Sun Devil defense were beginning to hit their stride before the abrupt end to the 2020 season. Bonneau ended her year with double digit saves in four of her past five games, giving her 26 in her career. She made 59 saves over her last five games (11.8 saves/game), starting to master the freedom that Coach McCormack allows her to play with. Bonneau finished with 72 saves, good enough for 24th nationally. She also picked up a team-high 35 ground balls and caused six turnovers, remaining active outside of her net. Her 4.38 ground balls per game were the fifth-highest average in the country. The draw control unit was another aspect of the game that was coming together under the new coaching staff, with several Sun Devils getting involved. Maura Cissel matched the program record for draw controls, securing 11 in the victory over Detroit. She was one of three individuals with 20 or more draw controls, with midfielder Kaylon Buckner (26) and Emily Glagolev (20) playing a major role. Sun Devil Lacrosse continues to add to an already talented roster, bringing in a highly-touted recruiting class with several instant impact players. With significant progress made in all aspects of the game during the first season under the new coaching staff, Sun Devil fans have a lot to be excited about as it relates to the lacrosse program.
PRIOR TO ASU
While an Assistant Coach at Northwestern, McCormack oversaw the defense and goalkeepers since his arrival in 2014, developing game plans and systems for one of the top-ranked defenses in the country. Under his tutelage, he's mentored three All-Americans, eight All-Big-Ten selections and two All-ALC selections. Along with his on-field responsibilities, McCormack helped lead the Wildcats' recruiting efforts, bringing in Inside Lacrosse's 5th-ranked recruiting class in 2016 and 4th-ranked class in 2018. McCormack also initiated Northwestern's first analytics team to help breakdown practices and quantify areas of the game.
Over the course of his six seasons at Northwestern, the Wildcats have qualified for the postseason each year and have won at least one NCAA Tournament game, appearing in two Final Four's, two NCAA Quarterfinals, and two NCAA second rounds. For the last six years, McCormack has also served as the director of camp programs for Amonte Sports, coordinating and directing each lacrosse camp across the country.
AS A PLAYER
While a goaltender at UMass, he started 45 consecutive games from his sophomore campaign on. His senior year featured a perfect 15-0 record between the pipes and the No. 1 ranking in the country.
"It's a crucial time in the youth of our women's lacrosse program, and Tim brings a wealth of experience and success from his coaching and playing career to this program," said Anderson. "We feel fortunate to have him lead this program and join our Sun Devil family."
"I am incredibly honored to join Arizona State University as the Women's Lacrosse Head Coach. With the support of Ray Anderson, Don Bocchi and Christina Wombacher, I look forward to building a nationally competitive program in Tempe" said Coach McCormack. "With its world-class academia and outstanding facilities, ASU offers truly a one-of-a-kind experience for its student-athletes. I would also like to thank Northwestern's head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller and her husband Scott Hiller for their mentorship over the past six years."
In three seasons in Tempe, McCormack directed one of the nation's biggest turnarounds. He finished has a 26-17 record as the Head Coach at Arizona State. To put that in perspective, ASU was 12-24 in the previous two seasons under the previous coaching staff. He has put Sun Devil Lacrosse on the map, creating national buzz around the program.
2022 (Pac-12 Coach of the Year)
In 2022, the Sun Devils finished third in the Pac-12 for the first time, earning their first berth in the Pac-12 Lacrosse Tournament Championship game. They finished the season ranked No. 18 in the nation according to the IWLCA/IL Top-25, the first time the program has finished in the Top-25. They spent a majority of the season ranked in at least one of the two national polls thanks to several key victories.
Due to these achievements, the man responsible for it all was once again recognized. Coach McCormack was selected as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year for the second straight season, the conference announced as part of their postseason awards. He becomes the first Arizona State Head Coach to win the award this academic year. McCormack joins a list of the best coaches to ever call Tempe home, as the 78th Sun Devil since 1979 to earn conference coach of the year honors.
McCormack was also the only ASU Head Coach to receive the award last year, as he took home 2021 Pac-12 Coach of the Year. This makes him one of only 15 head coaches in the history of Sun Devil Athletics to win back-to-back conference coach of the year honors. He is the first to accomplish the feat since Zeke Jones was named Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year in both 2017 & 2018. Included on this exclusive list are legendary head coaches Linda Vollstedt, Jim Brock, John Spini, and Greg Kraft.
Following the 2022 season, a Sun Devil received an All-American honor for the first time. Inside Lacrosse named both attackers Carley Adams and Emily Glagolev to their honorable mention All-American team. U.S. Lacrosse Magazine had Adams, Glagolev, and defender Bella Gaspar to their All-American honorable mention list. The national recognition does not stop there, as a Sun Devil was named National Player of the Week on two occasions. Taylor Pinzone was named Inside Lacrosse Player of the Week on 4/4 after an upset win over No. 14 Rutgers. Carley Adams was named U.S. Lacrosse Magazine Player of the Week on 4/11 after the program’s first win over Stanford.
In addition to the national awards, ASU cleaned up in the conference awards. Adams, Glagolev, Gaspar, and midfielder Taylor Pinzone were also each named to the Pac-12 All-Conference First Team, the most first team selections in program history. Arizona State was tied with Stanford for the most First Team selections. During the season, a Sun Devil won Pac-12 Player of the Week six times. This includes freshman goalkeeper Katie Vahle, who was a four-time defensive player of the week honoree, the most weekly awards in single-season program history.
Attacker Carley Adams wrapped up her incredible career with 140 goals, 55 assists, and 195 points in 76 games. Coach McCormack may have not had a bigger impact on anyone besides Adams, as the comparisons before/after his arrival are staggering. In 33 games during her first two seasons, Adams accounted for 13 goals and two assists (15 points). In the 43 games since, Adams has scored 127 goals and dished out 53 assists (180 points), developing into one of the nation’s premier attackers.
Fellow attacker Emily Glagolev will join Adams in occupying plenty of real estate in the Sun Devil record book. Glagolev finished her career with gaudy numbers, leaving as the program’s all-time assist leader. She played in 78 career games, scoring 130 goals and dishing out 152 assists. Glagolev emerged as one of the nation’s best dual-threat offensive weapons, showing off her ability to both pass and score. She finished as one of only four players in the country with 40+ goals and 40+ assists.
Freshman goalkeeper Katie Vahle thrived immediately under the mentorship of former goalkeeper Tim McCormack. She earned the job from day one, starting all 19 games in net for the Sun Devils despite it being her first year. The transition was seamless, with Vahle matching a single-season program record with 10 wins. She caught the attention of the conference and the nation with several big-time performances, playing her best against the toughest competition.
Midfielder Taylor Pinzone was exactly what the Sun Devils needed, fitting in perfectly in the midfield after transferring from Northwestern. The impact McCormack had on Pinzone was undeniable, as she elevated her game to another level after arriving in Tempe. In 19 games of her Arizona State career, Pinzone finished with 41 goals and 13 assists (54 points). In 50 games with the Wildcats, she had 34 goals and six assists (40 points).
Coach McCormack took pride in putting together an extremely tough schedule, as the Sun Devils were viewed extremely favorably by the metrics. ASU had the 12th-ranked overall strength of schedule, which included the second-best non-conference strength of schedule in the nation. Because of the nature of their slate, the Sun Devils were in strong contention for a NCAA tournament berth with a RPI of 24. Several impressive wins made their postseason resume even more appealing.
- March 13th - Arizona State 20, #23 Colorado 6
Arizona State took control of the game early and never looked back, overwhelming the ranked Buffaloes during an 8-0 second period. The 14-goal margin of defeat was the largest in the nine-year history of the Colorado program. They claim their second win over a Top-25 team as a program, doing it in impressive fashion.
- April 3rd - Arizona State 13, @ #14 Rutgers 12 (OT)
Sun Devil Lacrosse earned a dramatic comeback victory on the road over No. 14 Rutgers. They pick up their first victory over a Top-15 opponent in program history, handing the highly-touted Scarlet Knights only their second loss of the season. Carley Adams scored the game-winning goal in the first sudden death overtime period, sending the strong contingent of Sun Devil fans that had made the trip into a frenzy.
ASU was down by as many as four goals at several points of the game in less than ideal weather, but showed resiliency and toughness in mounting a valiant comeback effort. Arizona State was responsible for the final three goals of the game, stunning the home crowd and earning the program's first victory over a Big Ten opponent.
- April 8th - #25 Arizona State 18, #22 Stanford 11
Sun Devil Lacrosse finally got over the hump, defeating Stanford for the first time. Arizona State proved to be the better team from the opening draw, outscoring the No. 22 Cardinal each of the four quarters en route to an impressive 18-11 victory. Now that Head Coach Tim McCormack has defeated Stanford, his program has now beaten all five Pac-12 opponents. In a matchup of Top-25 teams, the No. 25 Sun Devils controlled the action in front of a lively home crowd. The Maroon & Gold backed up a road win over No. 14 Rutgers with a second straight Top-25 victory, the first time the program has accomplished the feat.
- April 17th - #23 Arizona State 16, @ Colorado 8
Arizona State had never won in Boulder, but that changed in a big way on April 17 thanks to a complete and focused effort. The Sun Devils jumped out to a 7-0 lead and never looked back, utilizing a balanced attack and aggressive defense to overwhelm the Buffaloes from the opening whistle. ASU took the home crowd out of the game as Colorado never got back within four goals, with the Maroon & Gold eventually establishing a running clock thanks to a double-digit lead.
- May 5th - #23 Arizona State 13, #16 USC 12
Sun Devil Lacrosse picked up one of the biggest wins in program history, defeating No. 16 USC in the Pac-12 Lacrosse Tournament semifinals. No. 23 Arizona State proved to be the better team in the ranked matchup, outlasting the Trojans despite having just played a game the day before. The impact of Assistant Head Coach for Sports Performance Pete Alosi and Head Athletic Trainer Caitlyn Blanton was on full display, as the Maroon & Gold bounced back with fresh legs and plenty of gas still in the tank. In an instant classic, the Sun Devils pulled off a massive 13-12 victory to clinch a berth into the 2022 Pac-12 Lacrosse Tournament championship game thanks to a vital 3-0 fourth quarter run.
Coach McCormack and his staff learned from the two regular season matchups with the Trojans, constructing a gameplan that attacked the weaknesses of the Trojans, Even with the return of All-American Kelsey Huff to the USC lineup, Arizona State still managed to pull off the victory against the highly-touted No. 2 seed and co-Pac-12 Regular Season Champions.
They built on the regular season conference success with a historical run in the Pac-12 Lacrosse Tournament. Arizona State became the first team besides Stanford, USC, or Colorado to make it to the conference championship game. They got there by defeating Cal for the seventh straight time and knocking off No. 16 USC in the semifinal round one day later.
Not only did McCormack’s team excel on the field, but he prioritized academics and community in his program. A total of 16 individuals received an undergraduate or graduate degree this Spring, with the rest on track to do the same in future semesters. The team boasted a 3.58 GPA in the Fall and participated in several Sun Devil Athletics’ sponsored community service events.
The future of the program is extremely bright, with a talented 2022 signing class entering the fold next year. Freshman have been known to make an impact under Coach McCormack, attracting some of the nation’s top recruits to Tempe.
2021 (Pac-12 Coach of the Year)
McCormack was the architect of a massive improvement over the past two seasons, resulting in a 10-6 campaign in 2021. The program accomplished many firsts in only his second season in charge, including its first victory over a Top-20 team, first ranking in a major national Top-25 poll, and the first 10-win season.
Thanks to his efforts, he selected as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year, an award voted on by the other coaches in the league. McCormack's turnaround effort clearly impressed his peers. He was the first and only Arizona State Head Coach to win the award this academic year. McCormack joins a list of the best coaches to ever call Tempe home, as the 77th Sun Devil since 1979 to earn conference coach of the year honors. He is the first to do it since Sun Devil Wrestling Head Coach Zeke Jones was named the 2020 Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
Under Coach McCormack's tutelage, attackers Carley Adams and Emily Glagolev along with defender Bella Gaspar were named to the All-Conference First Team, becoming the first Sun Devils to accomplish the feat. Goalkeeper Berkeley Bonneau, attacker Kerri Clayton, and midfielder/draw specialist Maura Cissel earned a spot on the second team. Of the 24 players to earn a spot, six of them were from Arizona State, a reflection of the strength of the roster.
As voted on by the coaches of the Pac-12, the Sun Devils tied Pac-12 Regular Season and Tournament Champion Stanford for most selections in the conference. In the previous two seasons of the All-Conference Team prior to Coach McCormack's arrival, Arizona State only had a total of three selections.
Of the possible 20 recipients of a Pac-12 Player of the Week award in 2021, ten were Sun Devils. ASU has earned six offensive and four defensive player of the week selections, an indication of the balance of the team. Arizona State has now had 13 individuals receive the top weekly conference honor in Head Coach Tim McCormack's two seasons, after previously only winning the award three times in the two prior seasons.
The ten wins were the most in a single-season, as Coach McCormack moved to 15-9 as the Head Coach. Arizona State was 12-24 in the previous two seasons under the previous coaching staff. The Sun Devils finished fourth in the Pac-12 standings for the first time, with a 5-4 record. In the previous three seasons, they had a combined four conference wins. Coach McCormack led the program to its first Pac-12 Tournament victory, defeating No. 5 seed Cal in the opening round to earn a berth in the conference semifinals.
The Maroon & Gold rank in the Top-10 nationally in assists/game (2nd), scoring offense (8th), and draw controls/game (9th). In the 24 games of Coach McCormack's tenure, Arizona State has scored 15+ goals in 16 games and 20+ goals in eight contests. His team enjoyed a five-game win streak earlier in the season, the longest in school history (previous long was 3). They outscored opponents 94-51 during that span.
McCormack had the Sun Devils in contention for an at-large tournament bid, with the team finishing at No. 34 in the RPI. They had no bad losses on their resume and challenged themselves with a road non-conference matchup against tournament participant No. 12 Denver.
The program picked up its first-ever victories over Colorado and USC in Coach McCormack's first matchup with the Pac-12 powers. ASU had previously been outscored by the Buffaloes 62-15 in four all-time matchups and USC had an 83-25 advantage in five previous meetings under the previous staff. The Sun Devils also earned a season sweep of Cal, the second time that ASU has swept a conference opponent (previous was Oregon in 2019). It was the first time they had beaten a team three times in one season.
Fans at Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium have been treated to brilliant lacrosse, as ASU finished 6-2 at home in 2021, outscoring opponents by a total score of 144-92. They could get it done on the road as well, snapping USC's eight-game home winning streak with a 20-11 win on March 19th.
The 11-goal victory USC's largest margin of defeat to a Pac-12 opponent. The 20 goals matched the most that USC had allowed in a game ever, a total reached by No. 2-ranked Boston College in the 2017 NCAA Quarterfinals.
The loss to Arizona State was the first time USC lost to an unranked opponent since an 18-11 loss to Oregon (April 8, 2018) but that was on the road – it was the first time USC fell to an unranked foe at home since April 18, 2014 (a 10-8 loss to Oregon) when USC was also unranked. Meaning the Maroon & Gold became the first unranked team to beat a ranked Trojans' squad at home.
The Sun Devils forced a running clock midway through the second half in the two sides first meeting of 2021, only the second time that an opponent had accomplished that feat against the Trojans at McAlister Field. The only other team to achieve a double-digit lead in a road matchup with USC was Northwestern way back in the Trojans' first game as a program in 2013.USC has had running clock on it only two other times in the history of the program: Apr. 8, 2018 – at Oregon and Feb. 23, 2021 – at Stony Brook.
Coach McCormack's team excels on the field and in the classroom, with the team boasting a record 3.64 Fall semester G.P.A. Several Sun Devils are candidate for Pac-12 Honor Roll selection. A total of 17 members of the program graduated in the Spring with some in the midst of earning graduate degrees.
He also signed a loaded 2021 signing class made up of several highly-skilled prospects from all around the continent, continuing to prove there are no limits to where they can find talent. The class is made up of six versatile midfielders, three dangerous attackers, a promising goalkeeper, and a tough defender. Freshman have made an immediate impact under Coach McCormack, with Bella and Gigi Gaspar starting every game on defense for the Sun Devils. With Tim McCormack at the helm the future of Sun Devil Lacrosse is in good hands.
2020 (COVID-shortened season)
In an abbreviated first season at the helm of the Sun Devil Lacrosse program, McCormack's team began building the winning culture that he brought with him to Tempe. A high-powered offense relying on a balanced attack featuring multiple scoring threats helped Arizona State get off to a 5-3 start before the season was cut short. Fans got a glimpse of the fast-paced, up-tempo style that Coach McCormack wants his program to be known for. Despite only having eight games to learn a brand-new system, the Sun Devil defense showed flashes of brilliance, playing a controlled and discipline brand of lacrosse. Goalkeeper Berkeley Bonneau thrived under the tutelage of McCormack, the former All-American goalkeeper at UMass, earning one of only five Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors handed out in 2020. She was one of three Sun Devils to win a Pac-12 Player of the Week honor in the five weeks of the award, joined by attackers Kerri Clayton and Emily Glagolev, who each won Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week. In the two years prior to Coach McCormack's arrival, Arizona State only had two Player of the Week honors total.
The offense saw a considerable jump in production compared to last season, thriving under the direction of the new coaching staff. Through eight games, Arizona State scored at least 18 goals four different times, a feat they accomplished only twice last season. ASU had 16 or more goals in six of their eight games. The Sun Devils were the highest scoring offense in the Pac-12 conference and the 12th-best in the country, averaging 16.38 goals/game. As a result of a balanced attack that featured multiple dangerous scoring options, the Maroon & Gold averaged the third-most assist/game in the country (9.5). In a historic victory over Detroit in only his second game as Head Coach, McCormack's Sun Devils scored 24 goals with 13 different goal scored, both representing new program records. Additionally, the 18-goal margin of victory (24-6) matched a program-high.
The coaching staff managed to utilize the skill sets of several standout individuals perfectly, as Kerri Clayton and Emily Glagolev excelled in the new system. Clayton was unstoppable during the eight-game run, racking up 41 points (29 goals & 12 assists). She recorded a hat trick in each of her first seven games, proving why she was considered one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the country. Glagolev was the main facilitator, operating the offense at a high level. She dished out an incredible 24 assists in only eight games, the third-best mark in the country. She added 13 goals to give her 37 points, ranking in the Top-20 nationally (19th) along with teammate Kerri Clayton (14th).
Goalkeeper Berkeley Bonneau and the Sun Devil defense were beginning to hit their stride before the abrupt end to the 2020 season. Bonneau ended her year with double digit saves in four of her past five games, giving her 26 in her career. She made 59 saves over her last five games (11.8 saves/game), starting to master the freedom that Coach McCormack allows her to play with. Bonneau finished with 72 saves, good enough for 24th nationally. She also picked up a team-high 35 ground balls and caused six turnovers, remaining active outside of her net. Her 4.38 ground balls per game were the fifth-highest average in the country. The draw control unit was another aspect of the game that was coming together under the new coaching staff, with several Sun Devils getting involved. Maura Cissel matched the program record for draw controls, securing 11 in the victory over Detroit. She was one of three individuals with 20 or more draw controls, with midfielder Kaylon Buckner (26) and Emily Glagolev (20) playing a major role. Sun Devil Lacrosse continues to add to an already talented roster, bringing in a highly-touted recruiting class with several instant impact players. With significant progress made in all aspects of the game during the first season under the new coaching staff, Sun Devil fans have a lot to be excited about as it relates to the lacrosse program.
PRIOR TO ASU
While an Assistant Coach at Northwestern, McCormack oversaw the defense and goalkeepers since his arrival in 2014, developing game plans and systems for one of the top-ranked defenses in the country. Under his tutelage, he's mentored three All-Americans, eight All-Big-Ten selections and two All-ALC selections. Along with his on-field responsibilities, McCormack helped lead the Wildcats' recruiting efforts, bringing in Inside Lacrosse's 5th-ranked recruiting class in 2016 and 4th-ranked class in 2018. McCormack also initiated Northwestern's first analytics team to help breakdown practices and quantify areas of the game.
Over the course of his six seasons at Northwestern, the Wildcats have qualified for the postseason each year and have won at least one NCAA Tournament game, appearing in two Final Four's, two NCAA Quarterfinals, and two NCAA second rounds. For the last six years, McCormack has also served as the director of camp programs for Amonte Sports, coordinating and directing each lacrosse camp across the country.
AS A PLAYER
While a goaltender at UMass, he started 45 consecutive games from his sophomore campaign on. His senior year featured a perfect 15-0 record between the pipes and the No. 1 ranking in the country.