5/14/26
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Ahead of its transition to four-year competition and pursuit of membership in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II, Lackawanna College athletics is pleased to announce the return of men's golf and the addition of women's golf as varsity sports, beginning competition schedules in the 2026-2027 academic year.
 
With that, the athletics department is also pleased to announce the return of former golf coach Patrick Lloyd as the new head coach for both the men's and women's teams. Lloyd had previously served as the head men's golf coach at Lackawanna College for eleven seasons from 2006 through 2018, and he was the head coach at Marywood University from 2019 until this past spring.
 
"Patrick stood out immediately because of his proven track record of building and sustaining successful programs over a long period of time," says Erik Larson, Director of Athletics at Lackawanna College. "Beyond wins and accolades, his background in organizing large-scale golf operations, recruiting, and developing student-athletes made him the clear choice to lead our program forward."
 
Lloyd is a Lackawanna College graduate, having played on the Falcons' golf team as an undergraduate, before graduating from Lackawanna and moving on to Temple University. When he graduated Temple with a bachelor's in Secondary Education, Lloyd eventually made it back to Scranton to take over the men's program at Lackawanna, where he had a wildly successful eleven years. Lloyd was a Region XIX DII Coach of the Year ten times, and he compiled a record of 471-63-3 in his time at Lackawanna. He led the Falcons to ten national championship appearances and developed three NJCAA All-Americans.
 
"Lackawanna College's golf program has a rich history of success. As a former alumnus of the program, saying I'm excited for the opportunity is an understatement," says Lloyd about coming back to Lackawanna.
 
At Marywood, Lloyd has helped both the men's and women's programs excel, finishing as conference runners-up on four separate occasions across both sports. He's coached five all-Atlantic East Conference players, and his staff won Atlantic East Coaching Staff of the Year in 2020.
 
In addition to his work collegiately, Lloyd served as the Executive Director with Anthracite Golf Association for 18 years, then moved on to become the Northeast Director of Operations at the Golf Association of Philadelphia in 2018. There, he organizes events and qualifiers for the USGA and provides support for member services at over 345 clubs across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
 
Lloyd's passion for golf and golf player development is something Lackawanna College hopes it can tap into moving into the PSAC and Division II. The men's program has been dormant since his departure in 2018, and the addition of the women's program will provide another opportunity for women's student-athletes to compete at a high-level at Lackawanna College.
 
"I believe we can find a strong mix of student-athletes to be competitive and serve as a cornerstone for the program in the next several seasons.," says Lloyd about what he's hoping for from the Falcons. "I believe all our programs will be extremely competitive in the PSAC. Understanding the talent and competition among the PSAC schools, I plan to bring in strong support staff for both the Men's and Women's teams.
 
"I am excited to have the opportunity to assist Lackawanna College in continuing to grow and make a positive impact on our student-athletes."
 
Schedules are still being developed and compiled, but Lackawanna College men's and women's golf each have an eye to begin competition starting with the coming 2026 fall semester. The Falcons will be competing at Elmhurst Country Club in Moscow, PA for their home matches and events. Elmhurst is a meticulously maintained 18-hole championship golf course that has hosted PGA tour events, as well as regional tournaments and weekly league events. The course has undergone major changes and upgrades in recent years to meet the needs of serious golfers throughout the region, and Lackawanna College is excited to continue to work with and expand its relationship with Elmhurst.