Grand Rapids, Mich. — Aquinas College is thrilled to announce the appointment of Chip Vasquez as the next head coach for the women's lacrosse program.

"We're really excited to have Chip Vasquez join us here at Aquinas," said Claudette Charney, the Interim Director of Athletics at Aquinas. "With his experience and dedication to fostering young lacrosse talent, he's going to be a fantastic addition to our department. We can't wait to see the positive impact he'll have on our women's lacrosse program."

In 2019, Vasquez took the helm as the Mona Shores varsity girls lacrosse head coach, facing the challenge of building a foundation from the ground up. At the high school level, Vasquez started with a mere 15 players and an entirely absent youth program. Under Vasquez's guidance, Mona Shores created its first-ever youth level team, encompassing grades 4th through 8th.

By 2023, he had assumed the role of Mona Shores girls program director, overseeing both high school and youth levels. Notably, the high school program expanded to 42 players, enabling the introduction of a JV level, while the youth program grew to accommodate 40 players, fostering the growth of the sport from a younger age.

Success has followed, including the most wins in the program's history. The JV team went from a 0-13 record to 11-6-1 while the varsity team had a 9-13 record while playing one of the toughest schedules in the state of Michigan. The program also achieved its first regional playoff victory, first regional semifinal appearance and produced two all-state players.

"Being a newer program, it is exciting to see all our hard work pay off," Vasquez said. "Being one of the fastest growing sports, it will be only a short time before we are accomplishing some more things that put us in a position to compete differently. I am still very actively engaged and will continue to be for this Mona Shores program."

Commenting on his new position at Aquinas, Vasquez shared his excitement, "I've always believed and had the desire to coach at the next level. It's been a goal of mine for quite some time now. When this position opened at Aquinas College, I was inundated with texts and phone calls from players, parents and other coaches to apply. I was humbled that my passion for the game had been noticed by so many around me. When our daughter said, 'Dad, your mind is built for the college level,' I knew it was my time."

Lacrosse is a family affair for the Vasquez clan. Their oldest son officiates collegiate lacrosse, their daughter is committed to playing Division I lacrosse at the University of Detroit Mercy, and their youngest son is an active high school and travel lacrosse player. His wife is a steadfast supporter of their lacrosse journey.

Vasquez is profoundly passionate about women's lacrosse, describing it as a "beautiful game of skill." He has observed over 2,000 games at all levels, from youth to college, and attests that there is no other sport he'd rather coach or watch.

"I have an incredibly talented team here at Aquinas," Vasquez said. "I am looking forward to our fall and upcoming spring season. Thank you, Aquinas, for giving me this great opportunity. The future is bright, and I am eager to see it unfold."

Vasquez becomes the fifth head coach in the program's history as a varsity program. He replaces former head coach Angelica Gero, who coached the team for five season from 2019-23, and is now the women's lacrosse head coach at NCAA Division III Kenyon College.