Washington College

Washington College Director of Athletics Thad Moore announced the appointment of Washington College Athletics Hall of Famer John Nostrant '86 as the 12th head men's lacrosse coach in the history of the program in May 2021. A 1986 graduate of the College, Nostrant was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American midfielder and key member of three national-runner up squads during his time in Chestertown.  

The 2025 season saw the team win its 50th all-time game against McDaniel in a 20-7 win on April 9. Two players earned All-Centennial Conference honors. 

In 2024, the Shoremen won their final three Centennial games to earn their first spot in the Centennial Conference Tournament in nine years. Washington clinched its spot on the final day tallying its first win over #20 Gettysburg since 2014, with an 18-14 triumph, and a Swarthmore win over Haverford. 

Washington saw its victory total double in each of his first two seasons with the team in 2022 and 2023.  

Nostrant, who was inducted into Washington College's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002, returned to his alma mater following two seasons as the head lacrosse coach at The Gilman School in Baltimore. Prior to his time at Gilman, Nostrant spent 28 years at the Haverford School, an independent boys' school in Haverford, Pennsylvania. He joined the faculty and coaching staff at Haverford School and assumed the head coach position in 1991. In addition to his lacrosse duties, John was the Director of Athletics at Haverford for 22 years. Before Haverford, John served as the head lacrosse coach at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C. in 1990-1991 after serving as an assistant coach for one season. John began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Washington College, where he spent three seasons (1987-1989). 

On the field at Haverford, Nostrant's teams won 490 games and earned 13 Inter-Academic League (Inter-Ac) regular-season championships, four Inter-Ac tournament titles, and two state championships (2000 and 2005). Two of his Haverford teams (2011 and 2015) finished their seasons undefeated and ranked #1 nationally, and he was named National High School Coach of the Year in 2015. Along the way, John has coached 36 high school All-Americans. He also served as an assistant coach for the USA U-19 world team, which won the gold medal in 2008. 

Nostrant played professionally for three different teams. He was selected as a Second Team All-Pro in 1991 and 1992 as a member of the Philadelphia Wings of the Major League Lacrosse (MLL). John, who played for the Wings from 1992 through 1996, also played outdoor lacrosse in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) for the Baltimore Tribe (1987) and Baltimore Thunders (1989-1991). He won three championships during his time with the Wings and played in six straight championships. 

The Baldwinsville, N.Y. native was a four-year midfielder for the Shoremen from 1983-86 and captained the squad in 1986. During his time as a player, Washington played in three NCAA Division III national championship games. Nostrant was selected to the NCAA Division III All-American squad three times on the second team. He was selected by his teammates for the Most Valuable Player Award during his senior year. 

John is the founder of John Nostrant Lacrosse Camps for youth boys and is the co-director of Mesa Lacrosse for girls and boys. John also organized the Checking for Cancer Lacrosse Tournament, which has raised money to support cancer research and families stricken by cancer. 

Nostrant, who is also a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame, holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Washington College. In addition, he holds a Master's in Education/Principal Certification from Cabrini University in Radnor, Pennsylvania.  

John and his wife, Gina, have three children who all played Division I lacrosse. Their oldest daughter Olivia played at High Point from 2015-18 and was an All-Big South Conference defender. Son John was a midfielder at Penn State from 2018-21, earning Academic All-Big Ten. Their youngest daughter Marcella was a defender at VCU from 2019-22.