Jimmy Ryan is an assistant coach with Rutgers' lacrosse program and serves as the team's defensive coordinator.He earned a promotion to the position for the 2020-21 season following three years with the program previously as Volunteer Assistant Coach and Director of Operations, originally joining the staff in 2017.
In Ryan's first two seasons as a full-time assistant coach guiding the defense, the Scarlet Knights made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and earned victories in each postseason, advancing to the Final Four (2022) and Quarterfinals (2021)
In 2025, Ryan's defensive unit excelled, ranking sixth nationally in scoring defense at 8.88 goals per game allowed. This was the lowest goals per game allowed by Rutgers since 2011 and first time in the top-10 nationally in scoring defense in over 15 years. Rutgers started the season with 5 straight games holding the opponent under 10 goals - the first time that RU held an opponent to single-digits in five straight games since the first five games of the 2010 season. Rutgers did not allow more than 13 goals in a game all season. The last time that RU went all season without giving up at least 14 goals in any game was 2017. Goalkeeper Cardin Stoller and short-stick defensive midfielder were named All-Americans by all three publications, with Stoller on the First Team All-Big Ten and the ECAC Defensive Player of the Year. Juengerkes was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection. Long-stick midfielder was named an All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine. The season was highlighted by a win over No. 2 Maryland, the highest ranked win in program history and the first win over the Terps since 1980, with Ryan's unit holding Maryland to six goals in an 8-6 win.
In 2024, Ryan oversaw a new-look unit, reshaping a close defense squad that had to replace all three starters from the year prior. The group was buoyed on the back end by goalkeeper Cardin Stoller, who was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
In 2023, Rutgers claimed eight wins and finished No. 15 in the RPI. Rutgers finished its season with an 8-6 record. The Scarlet Knights were nationally ranked for the entire season, peaking at No. 6. RU claimed four wins over NCAA Tournament teams, three wins over teams in the top-15 of the selection RPI, and their three ranked wins during the year included a win over then-No. 5 Loyola and overtime wins over rival Princeton and eventual Big Ten Tournament champion Michigan. Three players were named All-Conference and three players were named All-Americans. Ryan mentored First Team All-American long-stick midfielder Ethan Rall, who set RU's career record with 85 caused turnovers.
In 2022, Rutgers had a historic season with the program's first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament Final Four. The Scarlet Knights set a new program record with 15 wins, smashing the previous record of 11. RU downed a record six ranked foes during the season (No. 10 Army, No. 19 Loyola, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 14 Harvard and No. 3 Penn), while advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game for the first time since 2016. Rutgers hosted an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 2003 and defeated Harvard in front of 5,212 fans, the third largest crowd for an NCAA Tournament First Round game since 2003. RU then defeated No. 3 Penn in the NCAA Quarterfinals to match the highest ranked win in program history. Ryan mentored All-Americans on the defensive side of the ball in long-stick midfielder Ethan Rall (A First Team selection who set the program record for caused turnovers), goalkeeper Colin Kirst (Second Team), short-stick defensive midfielder Brennan Kamish (Second Team) and defenseman Jaryd Jean-Felix.
In 2021, Rutgers went to the NCAA Tournament for the program's first NCAA appearance since 2004. The Scarlet Knights grabbed a 12-5 opening round victory over Lehigh that was RU's first NCAA win since 1990. RU had five ranked wins in the course of the season (No. 6 Penn State, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 14 Johns Hopkins, No. 14 Ohio State and No. 10 Lehigh) in a historic campaign for the program. Defensively, Kirst, Jean-Felix and Rall were named All-Americans.
Ryan has previously worked with the Scarlet Knights' goalkeepers and specialists. In 2019, Ryan mentored goalkeeper Max Edelmann, who was named a Third Team All-American (USILA), Honorable Mention All-American (Media), Big Ten Co-Specialist of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten and All-ECAC. With Ryan's guidance, he led the nation in saves per game.
Ryan joined the program after spending the previous season as an assistant coach at Western New England University men’s lacrosse program. Ryan served as the team’s offensive coordinator as they scored 184 goals in 18 games, recording a 7-1 record in conference.
Ryan spent the previous academic year as an assistant coach at Williams College, where he served as goalie coach while working with both the offense and defense. He also was the team’s video coordinator.
The Bethesda, Maryland native was a four-year letterwinner for the Ithaca College men’s lacrosse program as a long-stick midfielder, serving as team captain of the Bombers his senior year. After earning All-Empire 8 honors as a junior in 2014, he was named to the first team as a senior in 2015 in addition to being selected to play in the 74th Annual USILA North-South Game.
Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in the Science of Business Administration from the Ithaca College Business School in 2015.
