Ken Lovic: Building a lacrosse legacy at Georgia Tech and beyond

For nearly three decades, Ken Lovic has been the face of Georgia Tech lacrosse — a coach, leader and ambassador for the game whose influence stretches far beyond the Atlanta campus.

Since taking over the program in 1997, Lovic has built the Yellow Jackets into one of the most respected and consistent programs in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). Under his direction, Tech has captured seven SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC) Championships, including the last three, and finished as national runners-up twice.

Now, Lovic and his hive of Yellow Jackets will play a new game of lacrosse in their home city, as the Georgia Tech club lacrosse team will take part in the first-ever MCLA Street Lacrosse game in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 30.

But Lovic’s impact doesn’t stop with the Jackets. As MCLA president since 2013, he’s helped guide the growth of collegiate club lacrosse on a national level, ensuring that thousands of student-athletes have the opportunity to continue playing the game they love while earning degrees from top universities.

“We’ve always kind of tried to look at ourselves as the premier college club lacrosse experience,” Lovic explained. “We follow eligibility rules and the NCAA rulebook structure — those are the kinds of things that set us apart. We want to be the premier non-varsity lacrosse experience for kids coming out of high school.”

That sense of structure and purpose is what’s helped the MCLA grow into a true collegiate lacrosse ecosystem, one where academics and athletics are prioritized equally. Lovic emphasized that this balance is what makes the league unique among college-level options.

“Our kids enjoy that they can co-op, study abroad — they can really, in my opinion, truly be the true student-athlete, not just an athlete who goes to school,” he said. “We pitch the student aspect first. You’re getting a top-tier education and the chance to play competitive lacrosse across the country — from California to Texas to Boston.”

As the MCLA president, Lovic’s vision has focused on expanding opportunities for players and programs nationwide. That’s included key structural changes within the MCLA, such as opening its doors to club teams from campuses that already sponsor Division I varsity programs.

As of Oct. 2025, there are a total of 78 Division I men’s lacrosse teams, spanning across 11 conferences, and seven of those campuses are now home to an MCLA program. Those seven schools — Air Force, Denver, High Point, North Carolina, St. John’s, Syracuse and Utah — help make up the 180 men’s club lacrosse teams in the MCLA.

“For a long time, we didn’t allow club teams from varsity campuses,” Lovic said. “But the more I talked to kids who just wanted to play lacrosse, it seemed like an easy decision to change that rule. Shutting them out just didn’t seem like the right thing after so many years. It’s all about giving more people the chance to play.”

That same player-first mindset has guided Lovic’s nearly 30-year tenure at Georgia Tech. He first joined the program in the mid-1990s while pursuing a graduate degree, before stepping into the head coaching role in 1997. What started as a side opportunity quickly became a lifelong calling.

“I came to Tech for grad school in ’95-96, started as an assistant, and took over in ’97,” Lovic recalled. “We were taking vans, scraping by every dollar we could get. Fast forward to now — we have equipment deals and scholarship opportunities. It’s a relationship that our players have helped build with their current players and, more importantly, with our alumni. It’s come a long way.”

“It’s not a one-man show,” he added. “I’m so lucky with my coaching staff and alumni board — they’ve helped us build Georgia Tech into what it is today.”

That pride runs deep, and so does Lovic’s humility. Despite being named the Flip Naumburg MCLA Division I National Coach of the Year, Lovic is quick to share credit with those around him.

“It comes across as an individual honor, but at the end of the day, I’m just so proud to be part of this Georgia Tech program,” he said. “I love Georgia Tech. It’s a great school with great academics, and we just try to mirror our lacrosse program to be as premier as the school itself.”

“It’s not anything I’ve done individually,” he added. “I’m just lucky to work with great people — a staff that loves the game and players who are intelligent, driven, and focused on being the best they can be.”

When asked to look back on his time with the Yellow Jackets, Lovic struggled to pick one favorite memory. For him, the joy comes in moments both large and small.

“All together it’s just the greatest feeling — seeing alumni come back, seeing the joy in the players’ faces after big wins,” he said. “Being in the SELC finals this year and winning in overtime after Florida kind of whipped our butt in the regular season — those moments are special.”

“But honestly, sometimes it’s the bus rides home that stick with you the most,” he added with a chuckle. “Seeing the guys so elated after working so hard. Those are the memories that always make you smile.”

As the sport of lacrosse continues to grow nationally — buoyed by the rise of the most-watched PLL season in league history — Lovic is committed to ensuring the MCLA remains a vital part of that landscape. His advice to any student considering joining an MCLA team is simple but thoughtful.

“The best thing to do is reach out to the officers or head coach at the school,” Lovic advised. “Every program is different. You want to make sure you’re matching your education with your lacrosse experience. Let your education lead you, and hopefully lacrosse will be a great balance to assist with that.”

After nearly three decades on the sideline, Lovic’s voice carries the weight of experience — but also the energy of someone still deeply in love with the game. Whether he’s coaching on the turf in Atlanta or helping shape the future of the MCLA, Lovic’s leadership continues to embody the balance of academic and athletic excellence that defines collegiate club lacrosse at its best.