Thayer hires Bill Daye to lead boys lacrosse

Thayer Academy has named Bill Daye as director of its boys lacrosse program and head coach of its boys varsity lacrosse team beginning this spring. 

Daye’s comprehensive knowledge of the game, his connections to the sport at all levels, and his leadership skills are tremendous assets, said Athletic Director Bobbi Moran, who shared the good news with Academy parents and guardians last month. 

“We’re incredibly excited to have Bill as our director of boys lacrosse and boys varsity head coach,” said Moran. "Coach Daye is an incredibly humble leader and mentor. I’m thrilled that our team and program will have him at the helm.” She added that Daye will ably complement the girls varsity lacrosse program, which is under the leadership of alumna and head coach Anni Zukauskas ‘94.  

A native of Huntington, New York, Daye played collegiate lacrosse at the University of North Carolina. His teams competed in four NCAA Final Four Tournaments; those years included a national championship in 1991 and an ACC championship in 1992. Daye was named to the ACC All-Tournament team in 1992. For that entire 1992 season, he made 172 saves with a .591% save percentage; those numbers currently sit among the top 25 all-time in single-season records in UNC history.

“I accepted the job for the opportunity to work with great people here in the administration and be an integral part of developing the future of Thayer lacrosse,” said Daye, whose wife, Alison (Losordo) Daye ‘91, is a graduate of Thayer and whose father-in-law, Stephen Losordo ‘66, was the first to congratulate him on the new role. Other proud Tigers in the family include Alison’s brother, Stephen Losordo Jr. ‘93, and her uncle, Anthony “Tony” Losordo ‘60. 

For Daye, the mission is clear. “The staff and I are focused on preparing our student-athletes for the challenges on the lacrosse field but more importantly beyond the playing field, in life,” he said. “Our goals each year are to compete for the ISL championship and help our young men achieve their aspirations of playing at the collegiate level.”

After college, Daye continued to play lacrosse at a high level in the United States Club Lacrosse Association (USCLA) and then Major League Lacrosse (MLL). He was named the USCLA Player of The Year in 1996 and earned All-Star and All-Pro honors both years during his two seasons with the Boston Cannons. 

Daye retired from playing in 2002, returned to the Cannons as an assistant coach in 2005, and one year later was hired as their head coach, becoming one of the first two Black head coaches in the MLL. He led the Cannons to their first MLL title in 2011 before stepping down. He is a member of the Eastern Massachusetts Lacrosse Hall of Fame and was named one of Lacrosse Magazine’s 20 most influential Black figures in lacrosse history. A Hingham resident, Daye also serves as a coach for Hingham Girls Youth Lacrosse. 

Moran pointed to the depth of coaching and recruiting experience Daye brings to Thayer’s program, including coaching at the PLL and MLL levels. Throughout the hiring process, she said, Daye exhibited a commitment to and passion for the future of Thayer lacrosse and a desire to build both Middle School and Upper School teams as program director.

“Bill’s knowledge of lacrosse and connection to the game at all levels will help to build upon the strong foundation of Thayer lacrosse in the ISL and NEPSAC leagues,” said Moran. “We’re excited to welcome Bill into our Tiger family.”