James Purpura | VMI

2024 marked James Purpura’s fourth season as the head lacrosse coach at the Virginia Military Institute.  Since taking over a winless program in 2020, Purpura has transformed VMI lacrosse to one of the biggest turnarounds in all of Division I lacrosse.

In each of his first four seasons, the Keydets have increased their win totals. The Keydets are currently one of just two programs in the nation to improve its win totals for four straight seasons.  In 2024, Purpura became second all-time in wins in just four years and now holds the highest winning percentage against Division I opponents in VMI’s history. Purpura was named the 2024 Nathaniel W. Pendleton '22 award winner as the VMI Coach of the Year. In 2022, Purpura was named the USILA South Coach for the USILA Senior All-Star Game after leading VMI to the Southern Conference semi-finals. In Purpura’s four years, the Keydets have had seven All-Conference selections, three All-Rookie team selections and three USILA Senior All-Stars.

In 2024, Purpura guided the Keydets to one of their most productive seasons in program history as they produced a program-record seven Division I wins, which tied the 1995 team. The seven wins was the most wins since the 2005 campaign. The Keydets' high-powered offense logged 183 goals for the year, which was the second most in program history and most since 1995. The Keydets excelled in riding (fourth in nation) and clearing (6th) as both stats finished in the national top-10. In all four of Purpura’s seasons, the VMI ride has finished in the national top-10. The defense had its best season in 12 years as it improved by 1.7 goals against.

The 2024 graduating class had 18 wins over their four years which was the most for a graduating class since 2008. Attackman Luke Rusterucci was named a First Team All-MAAC selection, LSM Alex Baber was named a Second Team All-MAAC selection and Ty Yonas was named to the All-MAAC Rookie team. Seniors AJ Stamos and Luke McDonald were both named to the USILA Senior All-Star game.

During the 2023 campaign, the Keydets won their first conference road victory since 2012. The offense under Purpura scored the most goals in a season in 26 years (1997). Hartley Jordan was named a First Team All-MAAC selection and Jack Rogers was named to the MAAC All-Rookie team. Jordan was also named to the USILA Senior All-Star game.

In his second season (2022), Purpura led VMI to new program firsts. The Keydets won their first conference game in eight years, their first Southern Conference win in program history (joined in 2015), and qualified for the conference playoffs for the second time in the program’s 39-year history. Purpura led VMI to its first home win in three years, first win over Mercer in 10 years and first win over Mount Saint Mary’s in 17 years. Hartley Jordan was named a First Team All-SoCon selection and Luke Rusterucci was named to the SoCon All-Rookie team. The Keydets improved in nearly every statistic (goals for, goals against, EMO, clearing, face off, save percentage). For his efforts, Purpura was named head coach of the South Team in the 2022 USILA North/South Senior All-Star Game.

In his first season at VMI, Purpura led the Keydets to their first program win in over 700 days in his first game, becoming just the second coach in program history to win his coaching debut. The win over Lafayette was also the program’s first win over a Patriot League opponent in 20 years.

Purpura also saw multiple improvements statistically, including the Keydets being second in the nation in caused turnovers per game. Both the VMI ride efficiency and extra man offense were the highest they had been in over a decade.

Off the field, the Keydets saw remarkable improvement with the program’s APR rating. The program’s GPA also had its best two semesters with the spring semester being the highest GPA in program history.

 

After serving as the offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator during the 2017 and 2018 seasons at VMI, Purpura left in the fall of 2018 to become the head lacrosse coach at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and coached the Knights for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

 

Named the 2019 Middle Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year, Purpura led the Knights to a 14-11 record over two seasons, including a 5-2 mark in 2020 before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus. Turning around a program that went 31-59 over its first six seasons, he guided the team to its first playoff appearance following the 2019 campaign. In 2020, the Knights ranked 19th in Division III in goals per game and 11th in assists.

 

Purpura mentored four All-MAC selections including the program’s first IMCLA All-Region honoree and USILA Scholar All-American. Academically, Arcadia broke program records for three straight semesters as two thirds of the team finished on the MAC Honor Roll (1st out of 17 teams).

 

Under Purpura's offense in 2018, VMI senior midfielder Wesley Sanders became only the 17th Keydet in program history to join the 100-Point Club as he finished his career with 102 points. Sanders also joined the 70-Goal Club at VMI, only the 13th Keydet in program history to achieve the rank. Freshman attack Ryan Perouty thrived in the system, leading the team with 29 goals for the season as he ranked second in the league in goals per game at 2.23 and ninth in points at 2.54 per game.

 

Purpura was promoted to the head assistant position after completing his first year on staff in 2017, where under his tutelage as the offensive coordinator the Keydet offense improved in nearly every statistical category, including scoring the most goals per game in five years. Under Purpura's leadership in 2017, Sanders was named first team All-Southern Conference and freshman attack John Daniel was named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team after guiding the Keydets' offense with 34 points.

 

Purpura first came to VMI after serving as the offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Queens University of Charlotte in 2016. Under his leadership, the Royal offense broke the school record for most goals scored in a season.

 

The Royals also finished with the second most wins in program history (11), made a SAC Conference Championship appearance, and were ranked as high as No. 12 in the country in Division II. In one season, Purpura helped coach and develop six All-SAC selections, including both the SAC Player of the Year and SAC Scholar-Athlete of the year, as well as one Major League Lacrosse player.

 

Prior to arriving at Queens, Purpura was a graduate assistant coach at Frostburg State during the 2015 season. Purpura helped lead a fifth-year program to their first national ranking in program history, ranking as high as No. 17 in the nation. The Bobcats finished with the most wins in program history with a 16-3 record and made their first CAC Conference Championship appearance. Purpura assisted with a defense that gave up the fewest goals allowed per game in program history (6.16), which finished sixth in the nation in Division III. Purpura helped coach and develop eight All-CAC selections and the program's first three USILA All-Americans.

 

Purpura spent the 2014 season at SUNY Brockport as the offensive coordinator where he improved goals scored per game, shooting percentage, and the extra man offense. While with the Golden Eagles, Purpura was named an assistant coach at the 2014 USILA Division III North/South Senior All-Star Game. Purpura helped coach and develop three All-SUNYAC selections and the program's first USILA Scholar All-American.

 

The Pittsford, New York, native began his collegiate career at Mount Saint Mary's before transferring to SUNY Geneseo. While at Geneseo, Purpura helped the Knights reach as high as No. 12 in the nation. Geneseo also made consecutive SUNYAC playoff appearances, including a SUNYAC championship appearance.

 

Purpura is a 2013 graduate of SUNY Geneseo where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. Purpura also earned his Masters of Education in interdisciplinary studies from Frostburg State in 2015.