Ryan Hilyer enters his second season after joining the Washington & Jefferson College Men's Lacrosse program as an assistant coach, announced by Coach Bow in the fall of 2024.
Hilyer comes to W&J after spending the past nine seasons as the men's lacrosse head coach at Bethany College. Hilyer led the Bison to their first Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament appearance since in 2021, since rejoining the conference in 2019. Hilyer coached 19 all-conference honorable mention, six all-conference second team and one all-conference first team selections in his career at Bethany.
Hilyer coached and developed key student-athletes at Bethany including two of Bethany's All-Time Leaders with Clay Yingling and Andrew Smith. Yingling finished his career with all-time records with career goals (108), career shots on goal (254), and career shots (408). Arguably one of the best goalies in Bethany and Division III history, Smith finished his career with 1,112 career saves best for third all-time on the NCAA Divsion III career saves list.Â
Prior to his time with the Bison, Hilyer spent three seasons as an assistant coach at fellow PAC school, Thiel. In just two years as the defensive coordinator, Hilyer helped Thiel decrease their goals against average from 10.31 to 7.47 in 2015. With that came a 2015 record of 10-5 for the Tomcats in the first year of the Ohio River Lacrosse Conference.
Hilyer also coached a slew of club and national teams throughout his coaching endeavors including the Pittsburgh 76ers, Highland Sports Complex, Natural Lacrosse Club, Warrior Diamond National Team, USA Athletes International and time as the McDowell High School Boy's Lacrosse coach.Â
During his playing career, Hilyer spent time playing for the Pittsburgh Gnomes and Pittsburgh Octane in the Interstate Box Lacrosse Association (IBLA). Hilyer graduated with a Bachelor of Business degree in professional studies with a minor in coaching in May of 2013.
Hilyer and his wife Courtney reside in Bethany, W.Va.
