Ryan Polley, who was promoted to defensive coordinator in thesummer of 2010, finished his sixth season at Yale in 2012. Hehelped the Bulldogs to their third straight 10-plus win campaignand Ivy League Tournament appearance while leading his defense tonew heights.
His 2012 unit ranked 18th nationally and third in the Ivy Leagueallowing 9.1 goals per game. His charges helped the Bulldogs rankthird in the nation (tops in Ivy) with 33.6 ground balls per game.The Blue was 10th in the country in caused turnovers (8.31).
The 2011 Elis ranked seventh in Division I scoring defense(7.57) and third in caused turnovers (10.2) a year after beingranked among the top 10 nationally in both categories.
In 2010, four of Polley's defensive players earned All-Ivyrecognition, while two were named All-New England. He had threemore All-Ivy picks in 2011. Polley had two in 2012, including onewho was All-America.
Polley, the former Merrimack College head coach andsecond-team All-American player, joined the Yale staff as anassistant in the fall of 2006. During his three seasons as headcoach at Merrimack, Polley took the program from a 6-8 record in2004 to two consecutive 11-5 finishes. His 2006 team finished witha No. 8 Division II national ranking and he received New EnglandDivision II Coach of the Year honors.
Prior to becoming his alma mater's head coach, Polley stayed inAndover where he was head coach for the first three years of thewomen's lacrosse program at Andover High School. His 2003 team wentundefeated in the regular season, and in his three years Polleycompiled a record of 42-11-3.
As student at Merrimack, where he received a B.A. in businessadministration, Polley played basketball and football in additionto lacrosse. He was a three-year captain on the lacrosse teamand received various accolades, including second-team All-Americaand academic All-America while being named to the All-NortheastTeam and the All-ECAC squad.
Polley currently resides in Farmington with his wifeCarolyn.
