Lacrosse coach named to lead new program

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School will welcome Ryne Linsley as the first-ever Head Coach for boys lacrosse. 

Coach Linsley comes to Rabun Gap from McCallie School, an all-boys boarding school in Chattanooga, TN. He has been the defensive coordinator for McCallie’s lacrosse program since 2012, leading the Blue Tornados to four state finalists and two state semi-finalist finishes, as well as a state championship in 2015. His defensive personnel at McCallie has included four All-Americans, six Division I players, one Division II player, and one Division III player. In addition to his coaching duties at McCallie, Coach Linsley has taught history and served as a  dorm head and faculty advisor. 

An experienced lacrosse player himself, Coach Linsley graduated from Auburn University in 2008, where he was a four-year starter for the Tigers. He is a U.S. Lacrosse member and a Level II certified coach. 

 

"I'm thrilled Coach Linsley and his family will be joining the Rabun Gap community,” said Head of School Jeff Miles.  “I've known Coach Linsley for several years and have always been impressed with his approach to coaching. He has proven himself as one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the industry.  What's even more impressive about Coach Linsley is his ability to connect with players and build lifelong relationships."  

 

In addition to his coaching role at Rabun Gap, Coach Linsley will teach in the Humanities department and work within our residential community. Coach Linsley will live on campus with his wife Andrea, who will teach at the Middle School,  and their children — Kate, 3 and Tucker, 1. He and his family are looking forward to joining the Rabun Gap community.

 

“There is an unmistakable joy and drive on campus to which my family and I were drawn,” he said. “I believe in the mission and the direction of the school both in the classroom and in athletics.  Traditions are alive and well and there is a growing energy on campus that mirrors Mr. Miles's ambitious vision for Rabun Gap. I am excited to be a part of that!”

 

“The opportunity to lead the new lacrosse program is one I couldn't pass up.  I see it as one more excellent extension of the mission of Work Study Worship at Rabun Gap.  The lacrosse program will allow us to reach an even greater diversity of students than we already do in ways that enrich the foundations of such a phenomenal school. We will work together as a community of athletes, accountable to one another, for one another much in the same way I saw students and faculty interacting when we visited,” said Coach Linsley. “Mr. Miles carries a lot of weight in the lacrosse community, especially in the Southeast.  I am thrilled to get a chance to work with him, and with his guidance and support, to grow our program into a competitive, character-first, experience that will achieve on the field and prepare our young men for achievement long after their playing days are behind them."

Rabun Gap added lacrosse to its athletic program this year and will begin competitive play next year, with a full varsity program launching in 2021-2022. This spring, the School has introduced a Middle School developmental program. Lacrosse is the fastest-growing sport in America. According to the NCAA, more than 36,000 athletes play lacrosse at the collegiate level.