Bill Tierney becomes first lacrosse coach to win both NCAA Division I and professional championship, tell me about this news in (https://www.denverpost.com/2026/09/20/waterdogs-win-pll-championship-2026/)

On September 20, 2026, legendary lacrosse coach Bill Tierney achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first head coach in lacrosse history to win both an NCAA Division I national championship and a professional championship after guiding the Philadelphia Waterdogs to the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) title.

Key Highlights of the Historic Win

• The Title Victory: Coach Tierney led the Philadelphia Waterdogs past the Denver Outlaws in the 2026 PLL Championship game on September 20, earning the franchise its second league championship and Tierney his first professional crown.

• A Historic Double: Prior to this victory, no lacrosse coach had ever claimed top honors at both the collegiate Division I level and in professional outdoor lacrosse.

• Collegiate Dominance: Tierney entered professional lacrosse with an already unmatched collegiate resume featuring seven NCAA Division I championships:

  • Princeton University: Six national titles (1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2001).

  • University of Denver: One national championship in 2015, which made the Pioneers the first program based west of the Eastern Time Zone to win an NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse title.

• Return to the Top: After retiring from collegiate coaching in 2023 with 439 career victories and an induction into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, Tierney joined the Waterdogs as head coach and general manager in 2024. Within two seasons at the helm, he rebuilt the squad into a title-winning contender.

• Denver Connection: The championship match carried special significance because it came against the Denver Outlawsin the same market where Tierney spent over a decade transforming the University of Denver into a collegiate lacrosse powerhouse.