WESTMINSTER, Md. – Matt Hatton has announced his resignation as McDaniel College's head men's lacrosse coach, effective at the end of the academic year, Director of Athletics Paul Moyer announced on Wednesday.
"I have decided to accept the director of athletics position at Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore. I have enjoyed my time at McDaniel immensely but this makes most sense for my family and me at this time," Hatton said. "I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to lead the men's lacrosse program at McDaniel and will forever cherish the relationships that I have built over my time on the Hill. I will certainly keep a watchful eye on the young men in the program as they continue their journey."
A 2001 graduate of Hobart, Hatton amassed 65 wins over his nine years at the helm of the men's lacrosse program. Hatton guided the Green Terror to the Centennial Conference (CC) playoffs three times in a four-year span in one of the top lacrosse conferences in the country.
Hatton also guided his 2012 squad to the ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship.
"Matt will be missed not only by his players but also by his colleagues on campus," Moyer noted. "He has not only been an outstanding leader for our men's lacrosse team, but also instrumental in moving academic excellence initiatives forward for the entire department. He is truly a coach who understands the educational values of athletics and supporting the development of the whole student. He will forever be part of the Green Terror family."
In 2009, Hatton guided the Green Terror back to the conference playoffs for the first time in five years after a 10-5 regular season that included two overtime losses to top-10 teams. The squad's semifinal appearance also produced a second one-goal overtime loss to eighth-ranked Haverford in a two-week span.
In 2010, Hatton's team made a return trip to the CC tournament, falling in the semifinals to second-ranked Gettysburg. For the second time in as many seasons, he produced an All-American when sophomore DJ Rickels joined Hatton's brother Mike in 2009 as national honorees.
In 2012, the Green Terror was once again in the CC semifinals but was rewarded for its 9-6 regular season with an ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship berth. The top seed in that tournament, McDaniel won its first ECAC crown.
Hatton spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator at McDaniel before being promoted to the interim head coach role in August 2006 and hired as the full-time coach that October.
During his tenure as an assistant, Hatton was primarily responsible for the close defense, defensive midfielders and goalkeepers, coaching two defensive All-Americans.
In his initial season on staff in 2004, he orchestrated the Green Terror's best penalty killing on record, allowing the opposition to score on just 15 of 62 (.231) extra-man opportunities.
While in his previous role, Hatton developed the team's weightlifting program and was responsible for developing the scouting reports for opponents.
Since 1994, he has worked at various summer lacrosse camps, including the prestigious Top Star Lacrosse Camp and Top 205 Lacrosse Camp. He has also been a part of camps at the University of North Carolina and Hobart in addition to being on staff at the All-American Lacrosse Camp, All-Star Lacrosse Camps and Top-Line Lacrosse Camp.
During his playing career at Hobart, he was a four-year letterwinner and two-year starter on defense. He also was a part of two trips to the NCAA Division I men's lacrosse tournament in 1998 and 2000. The Statesmen also won the Patriot League Championship in 2000.
McDaniel will begin a national search for Hatton's successor.