Sachem alum Chris Panos has been announced as the head coach of the Greece Lacrosse Association’s men’s box national team, which will compete at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships in Utica, NY, in September.
Panos, the head lacrosse coach at Fork Union Military Academy, brings extensive experience as an NCAA college player and coach and a former All-Star pro box player. An NLL 1st round draft pick in 1997 (4th overall), Panos achieved high success over his 12-year pro career, including playing in three Champions Cups, winning one as a member of the Philadelphia Wings in 2001. Panos ranks No. 7 all-time in the NLL in goals scored by an American-born player. He was selected to the Team USA Indoor squad four times, winning a bronze medal in the 2003 and 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships and the Heritage Cup in 2001 and the Bowhunter Cup in 2010. Panos’ international career also included competing in the Ontario and Western Lacrosse Associations, playing in six Mann Cups, with wins in 1999 (Victoria Shamrocks), and 2004 & 2006 (Peterborough Lakers).
“I’m excited and grateful to have the honor to lead and represent the Greece Lacrosse Association in the World Box Lacrosse Championships for the first time,” he said. “This will be an incredible opportunity to grow the sport globally on an elevated platform, and despite us being an inaugural team in the marquee event, my expectation is our team will be a hardworking, tough, disciplined, and resilient group that will respect and honor the game at its highest level competing against the very best players and countries in the world.”
He was an assistant coach/offensive coordinator for the GLA men’s field team in 2018 in Israel, where the team finished 19/46 in their first World Games. He also served in the same role for the Greece team in the 2022 European Field Lacrosse Championships.
Greece opens at the World Box Lacrosse Championships vs Japan on September 21 at the Nexus Center in Utica.