WEST HARTFORD, Conn. ­— University of Hartford men's lacrosse coach Ryan Martin has rounded out his staff for the 2017 season.  Travis Harrington has been hired as the Hawks' First Assistant Coach while Tim Cimini, a volunteer assistant for the Hawks this past year, has been elevated to assistant coach. Connor Samuelson, a 2016 graduate of Springfield College, has also signed on as a volunteer assistant coach.

Harrington comes to Hartford after two years at Robert Morris University, where he served as First Assistant Coach and Offensive Coordinator for the Colonials. Under Harrington's guidance, Robert Morris ranked No. 18 nationally in goals per game (11.33), with eight All-Northeast Conference honorees and three United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) North-South All-Stars. Harrington will work with the Hawks' offense and bring experience as the team's recruiting coordinator.

"It was clear throughout the hiring process that Coach Harrington is the right fit for our program," Martin said. "Everyone I spoke with had great things to say about his work ethic, dedication, and passion for the game of lacrosse. He fits the Hartford mold in that he possesses a tremendous work ethic and has a clear vision and plan for success. Coach Harrington is going to have a great impact on our offense and faceoff units. We are very much looking forward to his arrival in West Hartford."

Cimini helped with Hartford's defensive unit in 2016, his first year with the program, and made an immediate impact. After allowing an average of 11.07 goals per game in 2015, the Hawks dropped that total to 10.17 goals per game this spring. In his new role Cimini will continue to oversee Hartford's defense and will serve as the team's director of player development.

"Coach Cimini had a tremendous impact on our program in his first year on staff and was a big part of our success in taking home the America East Championship," Martin said. "He will lead our defense and direct all of our player development efforts.   He possesses a great work ethic and is well respected by our players, I can't wait to see the strides our defense and man down units will make this year with him at the helm."

Samuelson was a four-year starter on defense at Springfield College and helped lead the team to four consecutive NEWMAC championships. He was selected as a senior captain, chosen as an All-New England honoree and twice named to the All-NEWMAC team.

 "We are thrilled to have Coach Samuelson join our staff," Martin said. "He came highly recommended from Coach Keith Bugbee at Springfield College and our team will benefit greatly from his passion and work ethic."

Martin was named head coach in June, after two seasons as an assistant with the Hawks. Hartford notched the second-most wins (11) in program history during the 2016 season, capturing the America East title with a 17-16 victory against Vermont. The Hawks became the first-ever No. 4 seed to win the conference tournament and qualified for the NCAA tournament for the second time. As an assistant Martin oversaw the Hartford's offense, which ranked No. 17 in the nation in scoring (18.06 points per game).