Hail to the Champs: the Scudder-led Mountain Hawks
by Virgil Scudder
Scudders have always liked a challenge, no matter what, no matter where.
Will Scudder found a big one in Bethlehem, PA, when he took the job of head lacrosse coach at Lehigh University at the end of the 2023 season.
Lehigh, perhaps better known for its academic excellence than its athletic teams, has actually excelled in both over the years. The Mountain Hawks had played solid lacrosse for decades but hadn’t won a championship since 2014. Their good teams just couldn’t quite get over the hump. Until Lehigh decided to put its fate in the hands of a first-year head coach. Will is the son of Bill and Barbara Scudder of Exton, PA, who have contributed so much talent and leadership to the Scudder Association Foundation over the last several years.
Will’s 2024 lacrosse team won the Patriot League championship and finished the season ranked 16th in the country, a remarkable achievement for a first-year coach in any sport. He coached two All-Americans and a program record four USILA Scholar All-Americans. No dummies, these lads. The team GPA was an outstanding 3.45. In addition, five of Will’s players were All-Patriot League honorees.
But the every-modest leader shies away f from taking credit for the accomplishment. “It’s the team, not the coach, that deserves the credit for this season’s success. Their hard work, discipline, and teamwork brough these results. This is a very special group of young men.”
In his college days, Will was an all-star player at the now 7,000 student private university and was a highly regarded assistant coach at the institution since 2014 before donning the leadership mantle.
He’s regarded by his coaching peers to be one of the best in the gam. His record provides strong support for that argument.
“Will always wanted to be a football quarterback,” said his father, “and in fact he played quarterback in high school. But an injury hampered his ability to perform at the high level he demanded so he switched to lacrosse. It was a good move.” He majored in history at Lehigh.
While getting a solid education at Lehigh, he also got a wife and a career.
His wife Megan is a 2010 Lehigh graduate who played lacrosse on the Lehigh women’s team. They live in historic Bethlehem, Pa, with their two small children: son William Sullivan Scudder III, and daughter Brooke.
Hail to the champs, indeed!
