Chris Panos named head coach for new post-grad lacrosse at Fork Union Military Academy

Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) reports it has hired a seasoned NCAA coach and former top professional National Lacrosse League player, Chris Panos, as the head coach for the Academy’s new postgraduate lacrosse program and Assistant Director of Athletics. Panos brings an unmatched combination of expertise, passion, and a stellar track record in both coaching and playing lacrosse to FUMA, a news release said.

With years of experience on the field, Panos has excelled in coaching roles at all levels, from high school to collegiate teams, most recently as the head coach of the NCAA Division I Queens University of Charlotte men’s lacrosse program in Charlotte, NC.

As an athlete, Panos competed at the highest level in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) for 12 years, achieving significant accolades such as NLL World Champion, NLL All-Star, and ranking seventh all-time in goals scored for a U.S.-born player. Panos was also a three-time winner of the Mann Cup (the equivalent of the Stanley Cup in Canada), and additionally was proud to play for the Team USA Indoor Lacrosse team on four occasions.

“I’m excited and blessed for my next challenge in building the first ever PG lacrosse program at Fork Union Military Academy,”  Panos was quoted as saying. “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.”

John Blake, Director of Athletics at Fork Union Military Academy said, “During my first conversation with Chris Panos, I realized he is the person I wanted to build our PG Lacrosse Program. 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.”

To learn more about Coach Panos and his plans for FUMA’s postgraduate lacrosse program, go to https://www.forkunion.com/pg-lacrosse.