Rye boys lacrosse coach Steve Lennon has stepped down after nine years at the helm of one of the most successful high school lacrosse programs in Westchester County. Lennon led the Garnets to the Section 1 championship game seven times in his nine years, including five straight titles from 2019-24.
“I’ve been so fortunate to coach at Rye High School,” Lennon said. “I’ve grown so much as a person and as a coach over these past nine years. The Rye lacrosse community is so strong and I’m excited to see where it goes in its next chapter. So many current and former players and their families have been so supportive of me and my family – and of this personal decision – that it’s tough to express how grateful I am and always will be.”
When asked if any of those section title games stood out, Lennon replied, “Our first section championship game I coached in, we lost in overtime to Pelham. It was brutal. But that game really was the defining moment in my coaching career. We got better the next day after that loss. The first time we beat Yorktown for the section in 2021 was huge. Yorktown had been so good for so long. I’ll never forget that game.”
In his final season at Rye, Lennon coached the team to a 15-3 record and the top seed in the section tournament. The Garnets lost in the section championship to Somers, which went on to win the Class C state championship.
Lennon is stepping down from leading Rye varsity lacrosse, but he isn’t leaving the sport. Lennon is currently the head coach of a nationally ranked, Westchester-based club lacrosse team called Predators Lacrosse. That team features several rising Rye lacrosse standouts like Charlie Brady, Luke Denvir, and Sam and Luke Scully.
“I hope to stay connected to Rye lacrosse in some way going forward, but those details will work themselves out,” Lennon said. “I’m definitely not done coaching. My wife and I have two young boys at home who are growing up fast. I’m looking forward to having some extra time to spend with them.”
Lennon’s legacy? Kindness, discipline, humility, and championship high school lacrosse played at the highest levels in the northeast. Whoever picks up the flag for Rye boys’ lacrosse – and there will be a ton of interest in this job – will inherit a deep and character-rich program filled with top-tier athletes, all of whom have been fortunate to play for Lennon.
