Bill Bergan

Bill Bergan enters his 39th year as head lacrosse coach at Clarkson beginning in the fall of 2026. The winningest coach in the program's storied history, Bergan has compiled 273 victories in his 38 seasons and has guided Clarkson to four NCAA Tournament appearances. 

Since the advent of the conference tournament in 2003, the Golden Knights have qualified for the postseason 16 times in 23 seasons, claiming the conference post-season title in 2004.  Prior to that, Bergan led the Golden Knights to one of their best seasons ever in 2002 and was named UCAA Coach of the Year. Bergan guided the Green and Gold to an 11-2 overall record, the UCAA title with a 6-0 league mark, and back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. 

Bergan became the fifth lacrosse coach in the Knights’ history when he was appointed in January 1989 and he has guided the Knights to six postseason appearances outside of the conference tournament, including two ECAC Tournament and four NCAA Tournament berths (1991, 1992, 2002, 2004).

As a rookie head coach in 1989, Bergan led the Knights to their second straight ECAC Upstate New York Championship. Bergan was named Empire Athletic Association (EAA) Coach of the Year in 1993. During his tenure, 23 players have achieved All-American honors. Prior to coming to Clarkson, Bergan served as an assistant coach for Division I Dartmouth College for one season. He was also an assistant coach at SUNY Geneseo in 1987. A 1986 graduate of Hobart, Bergan was a two-time first-team All-America midfielder and a member of four Division III national championship lacrosse teams with the Statesmen from 1983-86. A four-year starter, he earned a host of honors during his playing career and was named Division III Midfielder of the Year in 1986. He was also selected for the prestigious Senior North-South game and acted as a tri-captain for the North squad. Bergan was inducted into Hobart’s Athletic Hall of Fame in October 1998. He also served as a head coach in the 1999 North-South Game and helped guide the North squad to a come-from-behind overtime victory. Bergan earned yet another high honor when he was selected to the Upstate New York Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame and he was recently added to the Legends of Placid Lax for his involvement in the Summit Classic since the event's inception in 1990.

A native of Syracuse, NY, Bergan graduated from West Genesee High School in 1982. He earned a pair of master’s degrees from St. Lawrence in the late 90s, including a degree in counseling and another in school administration. Bergan, who is Director of Physical Education, makes his home in Potsdam with his wife Rosanne and has two children, Billy and Caroline.

Gavin Yingling is entering his second season as top assistant for the Golden Knights' men's lacrosse program in 2026-27.

A native of Boyertown, Pennsylvania, Yingling graduated from Delaware Valley University in 2020 with a bachelor’s in Business Administration - Sports Management degree. A four-year member of the Aggies Men’s Lacrosse team and team captain in 2020, he made 29 appearances from 2017-2020 with 23 starts in goal posting a .424 career save percentage and 176 saves. 

Yingling brings several years of coaching experience to Potsdam having worked with  the Black Bear Lacrosse Club in Southeastern Pennsylvania while also having worked as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) for three years following his graduation from Delaware Valley. 

Jamie O'Neil
Men's Lacrosse - Assistant Coach
Contact: oneilja@clarkson.edu
Phone:

Jamie O'Neil is entering his first year with as an assistant coach for the Golden Knights' men's lacrosse program in 2026-27.

A 2026 graduate of SUNY Oneonta with a degree in Business Administration, O'Neil is one of the most decorated athletes in the Red Dragons' program history. A four-time SUNYAC All-Star, O'Neil was chosen as the SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 and also earned All-American honors from two outlets that season. He was also picked as the SUNYAC Rookie of the Year back in his freshman campaign of 2023. 

O'Neil recorded 308 career points on 177 goals and 131 assists over the course of four seasons at Oneonta. His junior campaign saw him record 50 goals and 52 assists, making him one of two players to reach 50 in both categories. His 102 points that year also made him one of 11 players to hit triple digits in NCAA Division III. 

Cole Zeller
Men's Lacrosse - Assistant Coach
Contact: 
Phone:

Cole Zeller is entering his third season as an assistant coach for the Golden Knights' Men's Lacrosse team in 2026-27. 

Zeller was previously an assistant at his alma mater SUNY Potsdam during the 2024 season. Over the course of three years with the Bears, Zeller played in 33 games from 2018-2020 on defense, tying for first in caused turnovers in 2018 and ranking second in the category in both 2019 and 2020. He was also fourth in groundballs in both 2018 and 2019.

Zeller, a native of Canton, NY, graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice.