JOHNSON, Vt. –  Johnson State College Athletics is proud to announce the hiring of Michael Loughran as men's lacrosse Head Coach.  Loughran, who will start immediately, brings an impressive set of experiences as a coach, player, and business professional to the Johnson Athletics Department.

Loughran, who was a standout player at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and where he earned his Bachelors of Science in Finance, came to Vermont shortly after stepping down as the Chief Operating Officer of Airline Hydraulics Corporation in Bensalem, Pennsylvania in 2010.  Loughran remains a Corporate Advisor and member of the Board of Directors for Airline Hydraulics. 

Loughran helped start the boys and girls lacrosse programs as Stowe High School where he will also remain the head coach of the boys program.  Loughran led Stowe to an 11-4 season in 2012, their first as a varsity program and playing in Vermont's Division II.  The program was also honored in 2012 with the Bob Abrahamson Award, awarded for sportsmanship in Division II and presented by the Vermont Lacrosse Officials Association.

"I am excited about the growth of lacrosse in Vermont.  It reminds me of the growth of the sport in Pennsylvania about 25 years ago," said Loughran.  "I enjoy the sport so much and being involved with it any way I can.  I'm very excited, also, to get to know the student-athletes at Johnson State College and to get involved with the community here.  I look forward to the process of developing this program."

The Badgers and Loughran will look to improve on a 2011 season in which the team finished 4-9 overall, 3-5 in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC).  Returners from the 2011 roster will include senior long stick midfielder and two-time All-North Atlantic Conference Maxxwell Connolly (Rollinsford, N.H./St. Thomas Aquinas).  Also back will be sophomore Nash Garceau (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) who was the NAC Rookie of the Week twice in 2011 and is the team's leading returning scorer with 27 points on 14 goals and 13 assists in 13 games played, and junior Matt Dekens (Johnson, Vt./Lamoille) who not only accounted for nine points in 2011 (5 g, 4 a) but is also the NAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President.

"We are thrilled to add Michael to our staff," stated Director of Athletics and Recreation Jamey Ventura.  "His experience coupled with his passion for the game and desire to develop our student athletes on and off the playing surface will grow JSC's lacrosse program to the next level."