Connor Shellenberger Announced as Assistant Coach for Virginia Men's Lacrosse

"Every day we strive to bring our best and inspire our teammates with relentless effort," said head coach Lars Tiffany. "Few do this better as a player than Connor Shellenberger – and now he will also do it as a coach. This is a momentous day. The men of UVA Lacrosse will have one of the greatest talents and minds to grow their games with. Connor will focus in on the development of our attackmen and offensive midfielders while working closely with [associate head coach & offensive coordinator] Kevin Cassese." 

As a player, Shellenberger originally entered Virginia as the No. 1 recruit and, after a redshirt year, helped the Cavaliers to a 2021 National Championship that saw him score four goals and add two assists in the Championship game against Maryland and earn the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.

At the end of his career, Shellenberger became the only Virginia player ever to be named a four-time USILA All-American. He concluded his collegiate career with 323 points, the most in Virginia history, and holds the ACC assist record with 192. Shellenberger also left Virginia with the most points in the NCAA Tournament throughout a career with 67 as he helped lead the Cavaliers to three Championship Weekend appearances. 

"It's an honor to return to the University of Virginia and join this outstanding coaching staff," Shellenberger said. "I'm deeply grateful to Coach Tiffany for the opportunity to be part of this special program. I look forward to working alongside our talented players and dedicated staff as we pursue another national championship." 

Currently, Shellenberger is in his second year with the New York Atlas in the Premier Lacrosse League after being drafted 2nd overall in 2024. This season, Shellenberger has been on fire as he ranks second in the league in points (25) with 14 goals and 11 assists. This past weekend,
Shellenberger netted five goals and dished out two assists, one to college teammate Xander Dickson, en route to a 17-11 victory to keep his team at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Shellenberger is also a two-time All-Star in the PLL. 

For a recap of Shellenberger's performance this past weekend: Connor Shellenberger Scores Career-High Five Goals in Week 6 PLL Action

Now, as an assistant coach, Shellenberger will work alongside offensive coordinator Kevin Cassese in reinvigorating this Virginia offense for the 2026 season. Specifically, Shellenberger should play a part in developing incoming prospect Brendan Millon, the No. 1 ranked recruit in the nation, and his brother, McCabe Millon, who enters his third year after recording 23 goals and 27 assists this past season. 

In 2025, the Hoos saw an offensive drop-off as they only ranked 44th in the nation in scoring offense, something they will look to correct in hopes of returning to Championship Weekend, which will be hosted in their own backyard at Scott Stadium. 

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