Chris Panos

Directing camp this summer is Chris Panos, former head coach of the Queens University of Charlotte men’s lacrosse team.

During the 2022 season, the Royals went 12-5 on the season to finish with a 7-3 league record. Heading into their final game of the season in the SAC Semifinals with No. 1 Limestone, the Royals had the fifth-ranked scoring offense in the nation averaging 16.31 goals per game and they were winning by an average of 6.50 goals which ranked 10th nationally.

Following the regular season, four Royals were honored on the SAC All-Conference teams list. Kealan Pilon was named to the first team while Tyler Ewen and Austin Leonard earned second team honors. Will McNichols was recognized on the third team. Pilon was also named an All-American

2021
The Royals had their season cut short last spring due to COVID-19 protocols finishing 7-4 on the season and 7-2 in league play. Despite not playing their final game of the season, they finished the year ranked third in the South Atlantic Conference. Queens also collected a notable win upsetting a sixth-ranked Wingate Bulldogs squad in overtime, 13-12, at home. Four Royals earned SAC All-Conference team honors.

2020
The Royals recorded a 5-2 record ahead of the 2020 season being cancelled due to COVID-19.

2019
In year one, he led Queens to a 13-5 record and their second ever appearance in the NCAA Championships. Additionally, eight Royals were named to the SAC all-conference team and Griffin Stechmiller was named an all-American. Queens completed the season ranked 12^th in the final USILA Poll.

The Royals also excelled off the field as Kevin Barry earned the SAC Elite 20 Award and the team was honored with the Royals Service Award.

Queens recorded winning records each of the two seasons with Panos on staff as an assistant coach. In 2017, Queens recorded upset victories over nationally-ranked Wingate, Mount Olive, and Lenoir-Rhyne en route to reaching the South Atlantic Conference Championship game. They went on to close the year ranked 18^th nationally. In 2018, the Royals defeated a nationally-ranked Trojans squad again before upsetting perennial powerhouse Limestone College. The win over the Saints was just the second in program history for the Royals.

In addition, Panos was an assistant coach for the Greece Men’s Senior National Team in the summer of 2019 when they finished 19^th out of 46 teams in the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships.

Prior to joining the Royals, Panos was an assistant coach for three seasons with the Spartans at the University of Tampa. During that time, the Spartans won three Sunshine State Conference titles and ranked top five nationally.

Background

In addition to working in collegiate athletics Panos is the president and owner of Panos Lacrosse, a premiere lacrosse organization specializing in superior training for young aspiring athletes. His camps, clinics and teams have been highly sought after throughout the United States since 2009. Panos has also been the West Florida Lacrosse Club Director of Coaching while serving as the head coach of the U-13 and U15 teams since 2014.

Prior to entering the collegiate coaching field, Panos coached at the high school level taking a struggling Nathan Hale High School team to the state championships in just three seasons leaving the team ranked top-five in the state of Washington. He also coached Eastlake High School to a top-10 Washington state ranking in two seasons.

A former collegiate athlete himself, Panos attended Hoftstra University helping lead the Pride to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1995 and 1996. He was named to the NCAA All-American East team both seasons as well. Hofstra was also an NCAA Division I East Conference top-10 team with the four-year starter. Panos received a bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Hofstra in 1996.

Following his collegiate playing career, Panos spent 12 years competing in the National Lacrosse League after going No. 4 in the draft. The 1997 NLL First Round Draft Pick became an NLL World Champion and NLL All-Star as a nine-year Team U.S.A. Indoor Veteran as well. He was also a two-time Team U.S.A. Indoor Bronze Medalist, Team U.S.A. Bowhunter Cup Champion, Team U.S.A. Heritage Cup Champion and three-time Mann Cup Champion.

Panos’ professional playing experience includes time with the Boston Blazers, Brooklyn Redmen Baltimore Thunder, Buffalo Bandits, Victoria Shamrocks, New York Saints, Calgary Roughnecks, Anaheim Storm, Peterborough Lakers, Colorado Mammoth and Chicago Shamrox. Panos retired from the National Lacrosse League in 2011, ranking seventh all-time in goals scored for an American born player. In the fall of 2017 he was rated the No. 19 all-time American born player in the NLL by U.S. Box Lacrosse.