Bates men's lacrosse head coach,
Dan Annino, has announced the addition of
Sal Iaria to his staff as an assistant coach. He will join fellow assistant,
Andrew Smistad, for the 2025 campaign.
I am so excited to welcome Sal Iaria to Lewiston and the Bates Lacrosse family," said Annino. "Coach Iaria brings a tremendous energy, passion, and enthusiasm for the game, and more importantly, for the development of student-athletes. Sal also brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his experience this past year working under Coach
Gene McCabe (Bates '95) at Washington & Lee University -- a program that earned a berth in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament this past spring. I know our staff and our team will benefit greatly from this addition, and I can't wait for Sal to hit the ground running!"
Iaria joins the garnet and white after serving as a volunteer assistant coach with the Generals, serving on the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) Region 4 Coaching Staff of the Year. Sal worked primarily with the face-off unit and goalkeepers, and played a vital role in leading Washington & Lee's squad to a .638 face-off win percentage.
Sal previously served as a volunteer assistant at Colorado Mesa University (DII) from June-December 2023 after playing for the Mavericks as a graduate student the previous spring. The midfielder helped guide the team to a 16-2 overall record and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title by tallying 31 points on nine goals and 22 assists, plus 12 ground balls and three caused turnovers, in 17 total games.
Iaria earned his Bachelor of Science degree in community development and applied economics from the University of Vermont in 2022, where he was a three-year member of the men's lacrosse team. He helped lead the Catamounts to their first conference championship (America East) in program history in 2021, also marking the team's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Individually, Iaria made the 2019 America East All-Rookie Team, collecting 33 points on 14 goals and 19 assists overall during his career as an undergrad.
"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the Bates Men's Lacrosse coaching staff," said Iaria. "Bates' commitment to success, academically and athletically, is something which I am thrilled to be a part of. I look forward to reaching new heights with the student-athletes and the community. I would like to thank Coach Annino and Coach Smistad for allowing me this opportunity, and I can't wait to get to work in Lewiston."
