St. Mary’s relieves boys lacrosse coach Victor Lilly of his duties after 9 seasons

Longtime St. Mary’s boys lacrosse coach Victor Lilly was relieved of his duties on Thursday.

In a letter directed to the “Saints family” on Thursday, the school announced that Lilly would not be returning, adding assistant coach Will Dalton will take over on an interim basis while a nationwide search takes place to find a permanent replacement.

Lilly, a 1987 graduate of the Annapolis private school, spent 20 years as a coach in the program, the past nine in the lead varsity role.

He posted a 79-50 record as coach and made six straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoff appearances from 2017 to 2023 — not including the pandemic-shortened 2020 season in which no postseason occurred — and reached the title game in 2019 and 2022. Coming off a senior-laden 14-5 campaign last year, the Saints went 5-13 this season with a largely new cast.

“I was very fortunate to attend St. Mary’s, graduate in ’87 and started coaching there in 2004 with [former varsity coach] Rob Chomo, going from an assistant on the JV field to the head of the varsity field,” Lilly said. “The 20 years I was able to help out and work at St. Mary’s was very beneficial to me and hopefully I impacted some people in a positive way and we did some good things along the way.”

Lilly said he went to meet with athletic director Tom Smith to discuss the program’s offseason plans on Thursday and upon arrival, was asked to head to principal Joe Keenan’s office where he was asked to resign. Lilly declined.

“Coach Lilly has been part of the program for 20 years. He’s helped out as an assistant coach, a head coach and he’s helped send — there’s currently 55 former students of ours that are playing Division I,” Keenan said. “He’s just contributed greatly to our lacrosse program and helping our varsity athletes. We wish Coach Lilly the best of luck in his future endeavors.”

As a student-athlete, Lilly earned four varsity letters as a standout running back on the football team and three as a midfielder in lacrosse.  He was inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame in 2009.

While disappointed with how his coaching tenure there ended, Lilly proudly looks back on the program’s success with kudos going to his players.

“The student-athletes really put the work in on and off the field, worked hard and we competed,” he said. “At the end of the day, those kids went out there and competed hard and won games. That’s what it takes, there’s got to be a competition every day in practice and that’s where it started.”

Calvert Hall coach Bryan Kelly applauded Lilly’s work.

“When you played St. Mary’s, you knew you were in a dogfight,” he said. “Vic is a great coach and even better person and it’s a big loss for the Saints and the MIAA. He’s had a tremendous impact on so many St. Mary’s players’ lives as players but, more importantly, as people.”

Lilly said he’s already been approached by another school to coach and isn’t ruling out the chance to return to the sidelines.

“At this point in my life, being 55 years old and a lifelong St. Mary’s guy, it might be nice to dip your toe in the water to see what it’s like elsewhere,” he said. “What I know is the St. Mary’s way, maybe it’s different at another school and worth taking a look.”