Coaching Staff
Chris Burke | Head Coach | burkec@wabash.edu | 765-361-6487
Chris Burke took over as head coach of the Wabash College lacrosse program on July 1, 2021.
Wabash posted a program-best seven wins in 2023 with a 7-9 overall record. The Little Giants scored a single-season best 171 goals and broke the school record for assists with 111. Quinn Fitzgerald tied the NCAA Division III record for goals scored in a game by tallying 13 in a win at Concordia Chicago. Fitzgerald and Artie Rogers became the first Wabash players to earn national honors after being named to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association / Dynamic Team of the Week in March 2022. Faceoff specialist Luka DiFilippo broke the Wabash single-game record for faceoff wins with a 25-of-29 effort at the dot against Anderson to earn NCAC Player of the Week honors. Wabash set seven new single-season team records and broke two single-game team marks in 2023.
Wabash finished 4-12 overall in Burke's first season at the helm with a 1-8 record in North Coast Athletic Conference games. Senior Jeremiah Eaton was named to the 2022 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Men's Lacrosse First Team by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine. Fellow senior Evan Schiefelbein earned Honorable Mention All-NCAC honors for the second consecutive season.
Burke came to Wabash from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he served the past four seasons as the first assistant coach, defensive and goalie coach, and recruiting coordinator for the men’s lacrosse program. The Saints were ranked as high as 12th nationally in 2021 and ranked sixth among NCAA Division II schools in man-down defense (eight goals against in 44 attempts), 11th in scoring defense (8.46 goals allowed), and 16th in caused turnovers (9.92 per game). The Saints have earned berths in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Tournament in three of Burke’s four seasons as an assistant. Burke coached the 2019 GLVC Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Year and the 2021 GLVC Freshman of the Year. A total of nine Maryville players earned All-GLVC honors for the 2021 campaign. The Saints were ranked 17th in the nation in 2019 and led the nation in caused turnovers.
Burke spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Saint Leo University in Florida before joining the NCAA Division II program as a player. Burke served as team captain as a senior and helped the Lions earn a Sunshine State Conference tournament appearance in 2016. Burke also served as the Student Veterans of America President while at Saint Leo.
A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Burke won three divisional championships as a member of the First Colonial Lacrosse Club. He also currently serves as the program director for True Indiana Lacrosse out of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Burke served as a member of the United States Marine Corps for five years. He rose to the rank of corporal and received a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Chris Burke’s Coaching Record (11-21 overall (one season); 2-15 NCAC
2023 — 7-9 overall — 1-7 NCAC (eighth); One All-NCAC honoree
2022 — 4-12 overall — 1-8 NCAC (ninth); One All-NCAC honoree
Nate Webber |Assistant Coach | webbern@wabash.edu| 765-361-6311
Webber joined the Wabash College athletics staff in August, 2023, as the Little Giants' assistant lacrosse coach. He also serves as the strength and conditioning coordinator for the athletics department.
Webber came to Wabash after two seasons as a DePauw University assistant lacrosse and strength and conditioning coach. He helped the Tigers win 11 games over the past two seasons, including five North Coast Athletic Conference victories. Webber guided the DePauw defense to create an average of 12.56 turnovers last season, ranking second in the conference and 22nd in the nation. The Tigers ranked 26th among Division III programs and fourth in the NCAC in scoring defense by holding opponents to 8.81 goals a game. DePauw led the conference and ranked 30th in the nation in caused turnovers in 2021, with an average of 11.5 per game under Weber’s guidance.
Webber graduated from the University of Indianapolis in 2020, earning a bachelor of science in exercise science – pre-physical therapy. He earned a master of science degree in exercise science – human performance in 2021. Webber played four seasons on the Greyhounds’ men’s lacrosse team. He was named team captain for the 2020-21 season and earned four Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) all-academic team selections. He played on the Greyhounds’ 2019 NCAA DII national finalist team and was part of two NCAA tournament-qualifying squads. The University of Indianapolis teams won three GLVC tournament titles during Webers’ time there and reached a number-four ranking in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA/) DII poll. The Greyhounds ranked in 35 consecutive USILA DII polls while Weber played for them. He also spent one season as a club coach for Midwest Express lacrosse.
Austin Barnett |Assistant Coach/Goalie Coach
Austin Barnett is in his first year at Wabash, working specifically with the Little Giant goalkeepers. Coach Barnett graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 2022 and played his collegiate lacrosse as a goalie for The University of Indianapolis. Barnett, a 2022 US Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-American, set records at UIndy for all-time wins (33) and saves (426). Barnett earned USILA All-South Region selection (2021, 2022) and was a four-time All-Great Lakes Valley Conference GLVC honoree. He also tallied five USILA Team of the Week selections and seven GLVC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Barnett helped lead the UIndy Greyhounds to three NCAA Tournament appearances (2019, 2021, 2022), one NCAA national finals appearance (2019), and won the GLVC Championship three times.
Coach Barnett resides in Indianapolis and works in Tax Consulting for McGuire Sponsel. Barnett helps coach with Indy Elite, a growing local club program, in the fall and summer.