In his first two seasons as the head coach of the Bryant University men's lacrosse program, Mike Pressler transformed Bulldog lacrosse from a successful Division II team to a dominant Division II team, guiding the Bulldogs to a pair of Northeast-10 Conference titles and one NCAA playoff berth. Last year, in his third season at the program's helm, Pressler elevated the Bulldogs' game once again, turning a dominant Division II team into a feared Division I squad, capable of contending with and upsetting some of the best teams in the nation.
In just his third season in Smithfield, R.I., Pressler led the Bulldogs into the Division I ranks and into a degree of success that shocked the DI lacrosse world. The 2009 Bulldogs faced off against such national powerhouses as Maryland, Virginia, Brown, Army, Penn and Loyola (Md.), earning a 10-5 overall record and recognition in both national polls throughout their inaugural campaign. Pressler's Bulldogs earned key wins over opponents such as Penn (15-11), Lehigh (14-13), Bellarmine (14-4) and Dartmouth (12-9), en route to becoming the biggest upset story of the season.
Pressler's efforts and contributions, not just with Bryant but throughout his illustrious coaching career, were recognized in September 2008 when he was named head coach of the 2010 U.S. Men's National Team.
Before making the move to Division I, Pressler led his Bulldogs to a 14-4 overall record in 2008, en route to the program's second conference title, defeating top-ranked Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. on May 4, 2008. Bryant sealed its 14th win with the victory, setting a new school record. The 5-4 win also earned the Bulldogs their first-ever NCAA tournament berth.
Bryant has posted a 35-13 record in three seasons under Pressler, who guided the Bulldogs to an 11-4 record in his first season in 2007.
In his first season with Bryant, Pressler's Bulldogs earned the program's first-ever Northeast-10 Conference regular-season title and top seed in the conference tournament. Bryant tied what was then a school record with 10 consecutive wins during the 2007 campaign, including an undefeated 9-0 league mark. Among those wins was an overtime victory against defending national champion Le Moyne, snapping the Dolphin's 70-game win streak. The Bulldogs, who ranked as high as No. 4 nationally in 2007, gained the No. 1 regional ranking for the entire month of April.
Previously the head coach at Duke University for 16 seasons, Pressler was named Bryant's new skipper on August 5, 2006, becoming just the second coach in the program's seven-year history.
In his years in Durham, N.C., Pressler compiled a 153-82 overall record at Duke, leading the Blue Devils to three Atlantic Coast Conference championships, 10 NCAA tournament berths and an appearance in the 2005 Division I men's lacrosse championship game.
In 2005, Pressler earned the nation's top coaching honor after directing the Blue Devils to an NCAA single-season record 17 wins against three defeats, being named the National Coach of the Year. Behind the play of three First Team All-America selections, the 2005 squad established a new NCAA record for the best win total turnaround (up from 5 wins in 2004). Duke led the nation in scoring offense, averaging over 13 goals per game, and finished the year ranked second in the national poll.
During his tenure at Duke University, the men's lacrosse program
posted a 100 percent graduation rate. 
Pressler arrived at Duke as one of the most successful NCAA Division III lacrosse coaches in the country. In five seasons at Ohio Wesleyan University, Pressler led the Battling Bishops to the NCAA finals in three-straight seasons and the semifinals twice. He was named the USILA's Division III Coach of the Year in 1987 and the North Coast Athletic Conference's Coach of the Year three times.
Pressler served as an assistant at Army under Jack Emmer during the 1984-85 season. Before that, he guided VMI to a 7-4 record in his only season as head coach at the Lexington institute.
In 2002, Pressler served as an assistant coach on the U.S. Men's Lacrosse team that captured the gold medal at the International Lacrosse Federation World Championship and has been named the head coach for the 2010 national team.
A three-time ACC Coach of the Year and recipient of the 2005 USILA's F. Morris Touchstone Award as the National Coach of the Year while at Duke, Pressler's overall head coaching record stands at 264-115 in 25 seasons. He ranks among the nation's top 10 active coaches in both career victories (No. 7) and overall winning percentage (No. 8). Pressler stands at No. 20 among the most winningest coaches of all time (by percentage) and is No. 13 all-time by win count.
A 1982 graduate of Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., Pressler was a four-year starter for both the football and lacrosse teams. A First Team Division Kodak All-American nose tackle in football, a four-year starter in lacrosse and team captain for both as a senior, Pressler was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2001.
He was also inducted into the Wilton (Conn.) High School Hall of Fame in 1998.
A native of Wilton, Connecticut, Pressler and his wife, Susan, live in Smithfield with their two daughters, Janet, 17, and Maggie, 11.
