Panos was named head coach in the summer of 2018 after serving as an assistant coach for the Royals for two years. He also spent the summer as an assistant coach for the Greece Men’s Senior National Team as they finished 19th out of 46 teams in the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships.
“Chris has been instrumental in the process of elevating our program in every way,” Swarthout commented. “His commitment to Queens, work ethic, and attention to detail is noticed daily in his efforts on campus and with our students. We look forward to continued success in the classroom, within our community, and on the field under his leadership.”
The Royals have recorded winning records each of the two seasons with Panos on staff. 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 18th 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.
“I am honored and humbled to be named the new head coach at Queens University of Charlotte and would like thank director of athletics Cherie Swarthout for showing confidence in my abilities to lead the program,” Panos stated. “This is a great opportunity, and I can’t wait to get back with the players in the coming weeks. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but I embrace the challenge as we continue to build a strong program on and off the field.”
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.
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.
Keith Lohmuller was named assistant men's lacrosse coach in the fall of 2018.
Lohmuller joined the coaching scene in 2009 at the University of Colorado as the defensive coordinator and faceoff coach. After spending one season with the Buffs, he returned home to Long Island, New York and began coaching with Checkmate Lacrosse.
A student-athlete himself, Lohmuller competed at Adelphi University as a defender. The decorated player was a three-time All-East Coast Conference honoree and a two-time all-American. He is the first and only all-American defensive midfielder to come out of the program. Additionally, he helped the Panthers reach the national championship game in three consecutive seasons, winning the title in 1998. Prior to attending Adelphi, Lohmuller spent two years at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.
Lohmuller earned his bachelor's degree in management in 1998 from Adelphi. In addition to coaching since graduation, he has worked in numerous positions at JP Morgan Chase Bank, TD Bank, and PNC Bank. He also served in the United States Army from 1998-2010 as an infantry officer and a weapons and tactics trainer.
Alec Johnston joins the Royals as an assistant coach after most recently being the head coach of the men’s lacrosse program at Queens University in Canada.
“I’m very excited to add Alec Johnston to our coaching staff,” said Panos. “He brings a refreshing young approach and has a knowledgeable background on both sides of the ball. In addition, he has experience being a college head coach in Canada and has also competed as a player at the NCAA DI level. He will be a valuable piece to our program in all areas and we are extremely thankful to have him at Queens working with our young men.”
Prior to joining the staff at Queens University in Canada as the head men’s lacrosse coach and a student account administrator in student financials, Johnston was an NCAA DI student-athlete at Robert Morris University competing on the Colonials’ men’s lacrosse team. The Kingston, Ontario native competed in 36 games for the Colonials as a defender. Additionally, he served as one of his team’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representatives.
“I am extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity to join the Queens men’s lacrosse program as an assistant coach,” Johnston commented. “I knew immediately that the culture, attitude, and commitment that has been created within the lacrosse program at Queens was something that I wanted to be a part of. I believe that my experiences as a player and a coach can help this team in their pursuit of a South Atlantic Conference title and ultimately a national championship. I look forward to being able to learn from great lacrosse minds in Coach Panos and Coach Lohmuller and doing whatever I can to help the Queens men’s lacrosse program in reaching new heights.
Johnston graduated from Robert Morris in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He also minored in accounting and was a member of the Financial Management Association.