ONEONTA, N.Y. – Paul Vecchio, Hartwick's Executive Director of Athletics, has announced the appointment of Connor Bishop as the new Head Coach of the men's lacrosse program, effective August 4th, 2025.
Bishop comes to Hartwick after most recently serving as Associate Head Men's Lacrosse Coach at his alma mater, Shenandoah University, a role he has held since October 2024. Prior to becoming Associate Head Coach, Bishop also served as an Assistant Coach at Shenandoah for over three years. During his tenure with the Hornets, Bishop assisted in bringing the program to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference quarterfinals every season, while the team maintained an impressive cumulative GPA of over 3.13 each year.
"Connor has all of the qualities I was looking for in our next head coach: proven recruiting ability, a passion for developing student-athletes holistically, a love for the game of lacrosse and a non-stop work ethic," comments Vecchio. "His experiences at both Swarthmore and Shenandoah, who compete in two of the premier athletic conferences in Division III – the Centennial and ODAC – also stood out. I know Connor is going to go above and beyond to continue the momentum our team has – coming off our first-ever Empire 8 playoff victory – while building a program capable of competing for Empire 8 Championships."
Bishop also spent considerable time as an assistant coach at both Swarthmore College and Adrian College, respectively. While at Swarthmore, Bishop helped develop a man-up strategy that ranked the Garnet as high as 19th nationally. His recruiting efforts at Swarthmore set the table for them advancing to the NCAA Tournament for three straight seasons (2022-24).
"I'm incredibly honored, humbled, and excited to join Hartwick College as the Head Men's Lacrosse Coach," Bishop says. "I want to thank Paul Vecchio for seeing the vision I have for this program. A great foundation has been laid and I'm looking forward to relentlessly pursuing excellence for the young men in this program."
Before beginning his coaching career, Bishop earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from Shenandoah University in 2017. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in Organizational Leadership.
About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.
