ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The Bard College Department of Athletics and Recreation has announced the hiring of Alex Stone as Head Men's Lacrosse Coach/Assistant Athletic Director.
 
Stone, who has been an assistant coach in the program since it was restarted two years ago, is replacing Tucker Kear, who announced this week that he has accepted a job as an assistant men's lacrosse coach at Dartmouth College.
 
"Alex has played a major role in the growth of men's lacrosse at Bard over the last two years," Bard Director of Athletics Kris Hall said. "This is what our administration wanted, it's what the team wanted, and it's what is best for the program at this time. We have significant confidence in Coach Stone."
 
Stone is a 2013 graduate of Union College, where he played lacrosse and studied Biology. A two-time All-Liberty League selection as a faceoff specialist, Stone helped the Dutchmen win one conference title and take two trips to the NCAA Tournament – one Sweet 16 appearance and one Elite 8 appearance.
 
After graduation, he teamed with Kear – who was an assistant coach at Union during Stone's entire time there – and restarted the Bard men's lacrosse program. The Raptors played an NCAA Div. III independent schedule this past spring, their first season, and will enter Liberty League play this spring.
 
"I know what kind of player and what kind of team it takes to succeed in the Liberty League," Stone said. "We've built great momentum over these first couple of years and my goal is to keep that going. We'll continue to recruit aggressively, we're going to play hard and we're not in this to be mediocre."
 
A native of Cranford, N.J., Stone has already taken over Fall Ball practices, and the team will wrap up fall practices with a scrimmage against FDU-Florham on Oct. 26.
 
"Although we're still a young team, we have great leadership and I'm going to count on that," Stone said. "We've recruited well and we're ready to take the next step."