FOUNDERS & DIRECTORS Bios
BOB AITKEN, FOUNDER
Bob Aitken founded Mesa Lacrosse in 2007. Bob is a member of both the Eastern Pennsylvania and Penn Charter Hall of Fame. He played locally at Penn Charter where he was a team captain and named All-American. He helped lead Penn Charter to three straight state titles. Coach Aitken played collegiately and was captain at William and Mary where he shares the all-time scoring record. He was selected to the North/South College All-Star Game in his senior year.
Travis Loving, founder
Travis is currently an assistant coach at Severna Park High School in Maryland, where he led his team to the Maryland 4A state championship in 2019. Prior to that, he served as the defensive coordinator and goalie coach at The Haverford School for 18 years. Coach Loving played goalie collegiately at Army for legendary coach Jack Emmer where he served as the team’s captain in 1996 and was a 3-time All-Patriot league selection. Coach Loving has coached 38 high school All-Americans, 10 Division I goalies, 11 Inter-Ac title teams, 5 Inter-Ac tournament title teams, 1 state championship team in 2005, and 2 undefeated national championship teams in 2011 and 2015.
JOHN NOSTRANT, FOUNDER
John is the head coach at the Gilman School in Baltimore. As a player, John was a 3-time All-American midfielder at Washington College and a 2-time All-Pro player for the Philadelphia Wings and the Baltimore Thunder. Coach Nostrant served as the Head Coach of The Haverford School from 1991 to 2019, winning more than 400 games. Coach Nostrant has coached 36 high school All-Americans, 13 Inter-Ac title teams, 4 Inter-Ac tournament title teams, 2 state championship teams (2000 and 2005), and 2 undefeated national championship teams in 2011 and 2015. He also served as an assistant coach for the USA U-19 world team which won the gold medal in 2008.
MARK PETRONE, FOUNDER
Mark currently serves as the offensive coach at Radnor High School, where he led his team to the state semi-finals in 2019. Mark served as the offensive coach at The Haverford School for 17 years. Coach Petrone played collegiately at Gettysburg College and spent 4 seasons as a college coach at Franklin & Marshall College and Lynchburg Colleges. In the high school ranks he has coached 32 high school All-Americans, 11 Division I face-off men, 9 Inter-Ac title teams, 4 Inter-Ac tournament title teams, 1 state championship team in 2005, and 2 undefeated national championship teams in 2011 and 2015.
katie rhodes abbott, DIRECTOR (GIRLS)
Katie Rhodes Abbott enters her second season as head women's lacrosse coach at La Salle in 2020. She arrived in August of 2018 from Colgate University after spending five seasons there as the top assistant coach.
In her first season at the helm of the Explorers, Rhodes Abbott led the team to a 5-11 record and a 3-6 mark in conference play. She oversaw an emphatic opening-day victory over LIU - Brooklyn and a pair of two-game winning streaks during the campaign. Under her guidance, sophomore midfielder Bridget Ruskey was named Second Team All-Conference and first-year defender Amanda Farnsworth earned All-Rookie Team honors.
Rhodes Abbott notably installed a free-flowing offense that recorded the most assists in program history, setting the mark at 81. The defense also saw improvements under the new head coach as La Salle conceded its fewest amount of goals since 2016.
During her time at Colgate, Rhodes Abbott was instrumental in the growth of the Raiders program. Over her five seasons in Hamilton N.Y., she helped the team to 41 wins and four Patriot League Tournament appearances.
Colgate qualified for a fourth Patriot League tournament in Rhodes Abbott's five seasons in 2018, going 10-7 overall. The prior year, Colgate finished with a 6-3 mark in league play to earn the No. 5 seed in the league tournament. Former Patriot League Player of the Year Haley O'Hanlon was named All-League First Team and IWLCA All-Region under Rhodes Abbott’s guidance.
The 2015 campaign saw Colgate post double-digit wins for the first time since 2009. The Raiders also posted their best Patriot League record in four seasons at 6-2.
Freshman sensation Haley O'Hanlon was named Patriot League Rookie of the Year as she ranked among the league's top 10 in goals, assists and points. O'Hanlon and senior Jenna Frost were both IWLCA All-Region selections, giving the Raiders two all-region picks in the same campaign for the first time since 2011.
Rhodes Abbott made her way to Colgate after two years at the University of Detroit Mercy as an assistant coach. She worked directly with goalies and her primary responsibilities were recruiting, scouting reports and film exchange.
Detroit's goalie Lexie McCormick was named 2013 Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year after ranking second in the nation in saves and sixth in the saves per game. The Titans made their first A-Sun championship that year. That year, she tutored five first-team selections and three second-team members.
In her first season, Rhodes Abbott helped the Titans improve dramatically from a 3-15 record to an 8-9 mark in 2012, which was a program record for wins in a season. She coached two first team selections and the team reached the semifinals of the conference tournament.
In her first season at the helm of the Explorers, Rhodes Abbott led the team to a 5-11 record and a 3-6 mark in conference play. She oversaw an emphatic opening-day victory over LIU - Brooklyn and a pair of two-game winning streaks during the campaign. Under her guidance, sophomore midfielder Bridget Ruskey was named Second Team All-Conference and first-year defender Amanda Farnsworth earned All-Rookie Team honors.
Rhodes Abbott notably installed a free-flowing offense that recorded the most assists in program history, setting the mark at 81. The defense also saw improvements under the new head coach as La Salle conceded its fewest amount of goals since 2016.
During her time at Colgate, Rhodes Abbott was instrumental in the growth of the Raiders program. Over her five seasons in Hamilton N.Y., she helped the team to 41 wins and four Patriot League Tournament appearances.
Colgate qualified for a fourth Patriot League tournament in Rhodes Abbott's five seasons in 2018, going 10-7 overall. The prior year, Colgate finished with a 6-3 mark in league play to earn the No. 5 seed in the league tournament. Former Patriot League Player of the Year Haley O'Hanlon was named All-League First Team and IWLCA All-Region under Rhodes Abbott’s guidance.
The 2015 campaign saw Colgate post double-digit wins for the first time since 2009. The Raiders also posted their best Patriot League record in four seasons at 6-2.
Freshman sensation Haley O'Hanlon was named Patriot League Rookie of the Year as she ranked among the league's top 10 in goals, assists and points. O'Hanlon and senior Jenna Frost were both IWLCA All-Region selections, giving the Raiders two all-region picks in the same campaign for the first time since 2011.
Rhodes Abbott made her way to Colgate after two years at the University of Detroit Mercy as an assistant coach. She worked directly with goalies and her primary responsibilities were recruiting, scouting reports and film exchange.
Detroit's goalie Lexie McCormick was named 2013 Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year after ranking second in the nation in saves and sixth in the saves per game. The Titans made their first A-Sun championship that year. That year, she tutored five first-team selections and three second-team members.
In her first season, Rhodes Abbott helped the Titans improve dramatically from a 3-15 record to an 8-9 mark in 2012, which was a program record for wins in a season. She coached two first team selections and the team reached the semifinals of the conference tournament.
mOLLY scudder MIller, director of OPerations and YOuth development (GIRLS)
Molly graduated from The Agnes Irwin School in 2002 where she served as team captain and was First Team All-Main Line during her junior and senior years. Upon graduation, Coach Scudder attended Hobart and William Smith Colleges where she was recruited to play lacrosse. After graduation and living in Manhattan, she gave her time to CityLax, a charitable organization set out to expand and develop lacrosse throughout New York City's public schools. Coach Scudder currently serves as the Middle School Lacrosse and Soccer coach at The Agnes Irwin School.