Rodney Tapp returns to Newberry College as assistant coach in the fall of 2024 after serving as the head coach at Tusculum the past three seasons..
In his first season in 2022, the Pioneers finished with a 9-7 record and averaged nearly 14 goals per game, while leading Division II in man-up offense at 60.8 percent. The Pioneers followed up with a 4-11 record in 2023 and led the SAC in shots per game at 30.6.
Tapp was assistant coach at Newberry during the 2021 season, helping the Wolves to a 7-5 overall record and a 6-4 mark in the South Atlantic Conference The Wolves rank fifth in Division II in man-down defense, eighth in ground balls per game, 13th in clears and 24th in faceoffs.Â
Before Newberry, Tapp was an assistant coach at Ohio Wesleyan University for three years from 2018 to 2020. At Ohio Wesleyan, Tapp helped the Battling Bishops rank 11th in Division III in scoring offense during the 2019 season.
A native of St. Catharines, Ontario, Tapp brings a wealth of playing experience to Tusculum. He played 10 seasons of professional indoor lacrosse from 1995 to 2004, scoring 26 goals and 83 assists for 109 points in 95 career games for Boston, Syracuse, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Washington, Rochester, Columbus and Arizona. During his NLL career, Tapp was an All-Star Game participant in both 1999 and 2003.
Tapp is noted in lacrosse circles for his faceoff ability in both the indoor and outdoor game, having won 55.6 percent of more than 3,100 draws during his professional career. He retired from the NLL as the league's all-time leader in face-off wins.
Following his playing career, Tapp started coaching at Owen Sound District Secondary School in 2006 and has coached both indoor and outdoor at the select, junior, midget and bantam levels. His Team Ontario midget squad was silver medalist at the 2017 Canadian Nationals.
Tapp played collegiately at Whittier College from 1986 to 1988 and was a two-time All-WCLL selection. He earned an associates degree in physical education from Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C. and has 180 credits toward a bachelors degree at Pacific Lutheran University.
Tapp played for Team Canada from 1994 to 2002 and was a member of the silver medalist squad at the 1998 World Games. Tapp's senior teams won three Mann Cup Championships in the 1990s and he was inducted to the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame as a member of the 2008 Six Nation Chiefs and the 2011 Victoria Seaspray. Tapp was also a three-time OLA Senior B Champion from 2002-2004.
Off the field, Tapp was the NLL player representative for the Professional Lacrosse Players Association in 2003-04, and was Player Compensation chair from 1999 to 2004. Tapp has also earned strength and conditioning coach certification from the Fitness Resource Association and the International Fitness Professional Association.
