The National Lacrosse League announced today that Rochester Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen has been selected as a finalist for the Les Bartley Award as NLL Coach of the Year for the 2024-25 season.
“Mike did a great job with our group this season,” said Knighthawks General Manager and Vice President of Lacrosse Operations Dan Carey. “We dealt with some significant injuries early on, and things just didn’t seem to be going our way. Mike, Pat, Kyle and Matt found a way to get us back on track and had a really strong end of the season. I see firsthand how much Mike cares about this group, and his work is a direct reflection.”
Hasen, who previously won the Les Bartley Award in 2011 as a rookie head coach and remains the only one to do so in his first year, led the Knighthawks to their second 10-win season in three years and third straight playoff appearance in the expansion-era. After enduring an up-and-down start to the season, Hasen, who also a finalist for the award in 2022-23, led a complete resurgence following the new year, guiding Rochester to wins in nine of its last 13 games, including six straight entering the final weekend of the regular season.
The Knighthawks finished as the third-highest scoring team under Hasen this season, scoring 228 goals, while again placing near the top in terms of shooting efficiency, averaging the second-most shots per game (80.83) across the NLL. Defensively, Rochester also allowed the sixth-fewest goals-against in the NLL (209).
One of the most decorated coaches in league history, Hasen is certainly no stranger to Rochester, having previously served as head coach of the former Knighthawks franchise from 2011 to 2019. In nine seasons behind the bench with the original Knighthawks, Hasen guided Rochester to an 81-75 regular season record while leading the team to six playoff appearances. The Knighthawks also finished among the top two teams in the East Division six different times under Hasen, including each of the first five seasons (2011-2015). Hasen’s most successful run at the helm of the Knighthawks came from 2012-14 when he made National Lacrosse League history by leading Rochester to an unprecedented three straight Champion’s Cups. He remains the only NLL bench boss to accomplish the feat.
Hasen boasts a 34-50 record with the expansion-era Knighthawks, whom he’s led to three straight playoff appearances, as well as a 115-125 record all-time over his 14 combined seasons in Rochester.
Upon the conclusion of the 2024-25 regular season, the Brampton, Ontario, native ranks third all-time in games coached (240) and fifth in career coaching wins (115).
The NLL will unveil the 2024-25 winners next week ahead of Game 1 of the 2025 NLL Finals.