California Redwoods Name Anthony Kelly Head Coach

Six-time professional lacrosse All-Star and 2014 Major League Lacrosse champion Anthony Kelly has been named the new head coach of the California Redwoods, the Premier Lacrosse League announced Thursday.

Kelly will replace Nat St. Laurent, who announced that he would step down from the position last week in an announcement that also named Joe Spallina the general manager.

“We are thrilled to welcome Anthony Kelly to the California Redwoods,” Spallina said in a release. “Anthony has a rich history of success in professional lacrosse and is an incredible leader. As we construct a championship roster, Coach Kelly is the perfect hire to return the Redwoods to the top of the PLL.”

Kelly won the 2014 MLL championship with the Denver Outlaws and is second in outdoor lacrosse history in faceoff wins (1,820). Kelly owns a pair of bronze medals as a member of the U.S. Men's Indoor National Team (2007, 2019) and is regarded as a respected leader.

At Ohio State, Kelly started every game of his career under head coach Joe Breschi and graduated in 2003. Kevin Brown of Inside Lacrosse reported in January that Kelly was also a candidate for the Carolina Chaos job that ultimately went to Roy Colsey.