Becca Block Joins Florida Lacrosse Coaching Staff
Tuesday, August 11, 2015 | Lacrosse
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida head coach Amanda O'Leary and the Gator lacrosse program have added 2013 IWLCA Defender of the Year and U.S. Lacrosse National Team member Becca Block to the UF staff. A 2013 graduate of Syracuse University, Block had coaching stops at Vermont (2014) and Michigan (2015) en route to Gainesville.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Becca to Gator Nation,” O'Leary remarked. “Becca brings a tremendous amount of knowledge to the Florida lacrosse staff from her experiences as both a player and coach. She was an elite collegiate player and has seen what it takes to win at the highest level. Becca is a member of the U.S. Lacrosse National Team and she is a perfect fit for the Gator program. Becca brings a lot to the table and her ability to connect with and instruct our student-athletes will be invaluable. We look forward to her contributions as we continue to build a championship program at Florida.”
In addition to two years as an assistant coach under her belt, Block is in her fourth year as a member of the U.S. Lacrosse National Team. Block, 2015 Gator senior Shannon Gilroy and Florida junior Mollie Stevens all represent the Orange and Blue on the 2015-16 U.S. National Team roster. Block first made the team in 2012 following her junior season at Syracuse and has been a mainstay on the squad for the past four years.
“Coach O'Leary and the University of Florida have given me a great opportunity. I want to thank them for having faith in my ability to coach championship lacrosse,” Block expressed. “I am thrilled and fortunate to work alongside one of lacrosse's premier head coaches at one of the nation's top programs. I am committed to delivering an exceptional academic and athletic experience to our student athletes, and will work tirelessly to achieve the goals of our program and University.”
Block embarks on Gainesville after spending the 2015 campaign an assistant coach at Michigan, where she helped guide the Wolverines to a conference tourney berth with the No. 6 overall seed in the inaugural Big Ten tournament.
Prior to her stint with the Wolverines, Block got her coaching career started as an assistant coach/defensive coordinator at the University of Vermont. She was the 2013 IWLCA Defender of the Year at Syracuse University.
In her first season as a collegiate lacrosse coach in 2014, Block helped guide Vermont to a 12-6 overall record and an appearance in the America East Tournament championship game. Under Block's guidance, the Catamounts' defense allowed just 9.50 goals per game, while their offense averaged 14.33 per outing.
The Stratham, N.H., native and 2013 team captain capped a four-year career at Syracuse in 2013 with Defender of the Year an All-America honors by both the IWLCA and Synapse Sports. The BIG EAST Conference also selected Block as its Defender of the Year and a member of the All-BIG EAST first team. Throughout her career, Block helped the Orange qualify for the NCAA Tournament on three occasions (2010, '12, '13). Under her watch, Syracuse advanced to the Final Four in 2010 and the national championship game in 2012. In 2012, Syracuse also captured the BIG EAST regular-season title.
Block, a two-time BIG EAST All-Academic honoree, graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor's degree in health and exercise science in May 2013.
In addition to Block's collegiate playing and coaching experience, she was also a coach and counselor for the Syracuse University Elite Lacrosse Camps and helped organize and run the Laxfest Lacrosse Tournament in Syracuse, N.Y., from 2010-15.
