HARTSVILLE, S.C. - Coker University head men's lacrosse coach Dave Olliver is headed to Charlotte to join Providence Day School as an Assistant Athletic Director, announced recently.
"David came to Coker nine years ago and he has established a strong men's lacrosse foundation," said Vice President for Athletics and Athletic Facilities Dr. Lynn Griffin. "He has led the program with integrity and lives out the values he expects from his team. While we will miss him at Coker, this is a wonderful opportunity for him and his family. We thank David for his commitment to Coker and men's lacrosse."
Olliver was a mid-season replacement as head coach for the Cobras back in 2013, and the Cobras won a total of 41 games in his tenure. He coached 19 All-Conference selections, 14 South Atlantic Conference Players of the Week, three USILA D2 Team of the Week selections, two All-Region selections and the program's first media poll All-American in Joe Venazio (2021). The Cobras also won the 2015 South Atlantic Conference regular season championship under Olliver.
Academically, Olliver's team boasted one South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year and one CoSIDA Academic All-District selection (Dylan Marks, 2015).
Olliver has also been a presence within the conference on diversity and inclusion, both within college athletics and the sport of men's lacrosse. Olliver served on the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA)/Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association's NCAA Inclusion and Diversity committee as the minority representative for the sport of men's lacrosse. The committee works to establish programs to increase inclusion for both minority coaches and student-athletes. The committee also works to educate colleagues on what diversity and inclusion mean to those who are minorities within their sport. Olliver was also a member of the NCAA Coaches of Diversity Sub-Committee, which is made up of minority coaches within NCAA men's lacrosse. This group discusses issues that minority student-athletes face within men's lacrosse and works to help to bring solutions to these issues. Olliver has also served as the South Atlantic Conference representative for the NCAA Coaches Connection. Olliver serves alongside men's lacrosse coaches from every conference and also representation from the NCAA to discuss specific issues within the sport of men's lacrosse.
"Here we are, nine seasons later," said Olliver. I'll never forget my first game coaching the Cobras out at Byerly and I knew none of the guys' names, and boy have we come a long way. The most important part of this entire journey are the student-athletes. They have been the guiding force behind any success and culture that was created or had. They are reasons we do what we do as coaches, and I appreciate all the guys or athletes I have ever coached for making every day at work amazing! Administration took a chance on a young coach and I hope we didn't let them down over the years so thank you all for that keeping me around. Thank you to all the assistant coaches I have over the years, for putting up with my OCD moments and challenging me professionally and helping me learn along the way. To all the friends made in the Athletic Department and across campus that made my time at Coker special, I appreciate you all. It's been an honor coaching in the SAC (toughest conference in the country) alongside some amazing coaches that have become friends and mentors. All this was possible because Coker believed in me. My family and I will always be thankful for Coker for that reason. It's been a solid little ride and I will be cheering from afar for sure! And with that, this is how we end every day in Coker men's lacrosse - family on three!"
Coker University has a national search underway to replace Olliver.