Toner emerged from an incredibly deep and talented pool of applicants to become only the fourth head coach of the Bullets since 1969. He follows in the footsteps of lacrosse coaching legend Hank Janczyk, who guided Gettysburg for 34 years before retiring this past May with the second-most wins in NCAA lacrosse history.

“Peter emerged from a very competitive pool of candidates, and I am excited to welcome him and his family to Gettysburg College,” said Mattia. “His coaching experience and background have prepared him well to build upon the great history and tradition of the men’s lacrosse program. He has passion for the game, a hardworking competitive spirit, and an understanding of the importance of building lifetime relationships with the players, parents, alumni, and campus community. I look forward to the successful future of Gettysburg men’s lacrosse under Peter’s direction.”

“First off, I would like to thank Mike Mattia, the search committee and the Gettysburg administration for this amazing opportunity to lead the men’s lacrosse program,” stated Toner. “It’s a dream come true to work at such a prestigious institution with such an incredible tradition of success both academically and athletically. I can’t wait to begin to build relationships with the players, administration, colleagues, alumni and the Gettysburg community as my family and I settle in.”

A graduate of Springfield College and former head coach at Wheaton College, Toner returns to his Division III roots after spending the last 11 years at Penn State, including the last eight as associate head coach. Toner served as the recruiting coordinator and guided the team’s defensive effort, both of which contributed to unprecedented success for the Nittany Lions. In 2019, Penn State set a school record for wins (16), captured the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles for the first time, posted its first-ever victory over the University of Maryland, and advanced to the NCAA semifinals. For his efforts, Toner was named Assistant Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA).

“Coaching alongside Peter Toner of the past 11 years has been an honor,” said Penn State head lacrosse coach Jeff Tambroni. “He will be missed at Penn State, but we are excited to see him shine at Gettysburg. His leadership, character, work ethic, and family-first values will be incredible assets to an already tradition rich program.