Fork Union Military Academy has tapped Chris Panos to be the founding head coach for the academy’s new postgraduate lacrosse program.
Panos was most recently the head lacrosse coach at Queen’s College in Charlotte, which he had led through a transition from D2 to D1, leading the program to a 39-28 record in five seasons, including a D2 national runner-up finish in 2019.
Queen’s finished with a 2-12 mark in its first season in D1 in 2023.
Prior to the head-coaching gig, Panos had served as an assistant at Queen’s College for two years, an assistant at the University of Tampa for three years, and a head coach at the high-school level for five years.
“During my first conversation with Chris Panos, I realized he is the person I wanted to build our PG lacrosse program,” FUMA Athletics Director John Blake said. “His college coaching experience and knowledge of recruiting give him an edge in building the program. I’m really excited to have Chris on our team and look forward to helping him build the program.”
Panos, an alum of and four-year starter at Hofstra, played professionally in the National Lacrosse League for 12 years, earning an NLL all-star selection in 1999, and he was a member of the Team USA indoor lacrosse team for nine years.
“I’m excited and blessed for my next challenge in building the first ever PG lacrosse program at Fork Union Military Academy,” Panos said. “With many professional opportunities to choose from, FUMA really stuck out to me in the interview process for many reasons, including their prestigious reputation for outstanding academics, athletics, character development and college placement, as well as their core values of mind, body and spirit, all while educating, developing and inspiring young men. So for me personally growing up in a military family setting, this seemed like a natural fit at the right time in my coaching career to build a new PG program, give back to the community and make my family proud in the process.”
Share
Chris Graham
