Albion College

Jake DeCola arrived in Albion in 2009 to found the Briton men's lacrosse program and built the team into a premier program in the MIAA and the region.

Under his leadership, the Britons have won five MIAA regular season (2015-17, 2021, 2023) and six MIAA Tournament (2015-18, 2022, 2025) titles — the latter of which is the most of any team in conference history. The Britons have also notched a 20-7 (.741) MIAA Tournament record and played in the finals each year from its inception in 2013 to 2025 while reaching six appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

DeCola has compiled an overall record of 171-115 (.598) — including a 71-10 (.877) mark in league play.

Many of DeCola's players have been recognized for their successes both on and off the field. He has guided 51 All-MIAA selections, including 33 first-teamers, 13 conference award winners, 10 IMLCA All-Region and six USILA All-American selections.

DeCola has also coached two Albion Athletics Hall of Famers (Alexander Dziewit and Tim Urso), as well as the 2015 team that will be inducted in the fall of 2026 — the program's first representation in the school's Hall of Fame.

Four of DeCola's players have played in the USILA Senior All-Star Game showcasing the top senior talent in Division III. In 2025, DeCola and his staff were selected to coach the South squad in the annual contest.

Throughout his tenure, two of DeCola's assistant coaches have gone onto become head coaches (Brett Wetzel at Adrian and TJ Thomas at Dubuque). Additionally, Andy Herriott later became an assistant at Division I Colgate.

In 2026, DeCola mentored MIAA Offensive MVP and first-team All-MIAA selection Cal Stearns, who led the conference with 67 goals. Additionally, four other Britons earned all-conference recognition. Stearns and Logan Bride were also selected to play in the USILA Senior All-Star Game.

Following the 2025 campaign that saw Albion win its sixth MIAA Tournament Championship and first as a No. 3 seed, DeCola was selected to coach the North squad in the USILA Senior All-Star Game. DeCola was joined by Brendan Mercier, who became the second Briton to participate in the annual showcase after Joey Tatar earned the honor in 2022. 

In 2022, DeCola and his staff were selected as the IMLCA Region 5 Coaching Staff of the Year following a season in which the Britons went 15-4 and won their fifth MIAA Tournament title. That year, Jace Conley scored 91 goals — setting the program's single-season record and tying for the most scores in all of Division III.

Winning the ground ball battle has always been a staple with DeCola's programs. He mentored two players (Kyle DeCamp — 2016; Eddie Symons — 2023) who led Division III in ground balls per game, and Sam Puzevic paced the nation in man-up goals in 2023.

The 2015 season marked the program's first MIAA regular season and tournament championships as they ranked top 25 in Division III in scoring offense, ground balls, face-off win percentage and scoring margin. The Britons reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling by one goal to nationally ranked Ohio Wesleyan.

That year, the team was awarded the National Intercollegiate Lacrosse Officials Association (NILOA) District 6 James "Ace" Adams Sportsmanship Award presented to 11 different programs whose coaches, players and fans exhibit the best sportsmanship throughout the season. 

Founding the program with just 16 players, DeCola's Britons began varsity play in the Midwest Lacrosse Conference before the MIAA adopted the sport in 2013. Their first-ever game was played on February 13, 2010, inside the Ultimate Soccer Arena in Pontiac, Mich., against Carthage.

DeCola's legacy is also remembered for the connection he forged with Harper Mathis, a teenager who courageously fought brain cancer until her passing in 2025. DeCola and the team were paired up with her while working with the Vs. Cancer Foundation in 2021 and immediately gravitated towards Harper's positivity and radiance. In March 2026 against Southwestern, DeCola organized the first annual Harper Strong Classic game in remembrance of her life.

In addition to building a successful program on the field, the Britons have built a reputation for academic excellence that has garnered national attention. Eleven players have been chosen as USILA Scholar All-Americans and 73 have earned spots on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Four of DeCola's teams were awarded the USILA Academic Team Award as well (2021, 2022, 2025, 2026).

Before the move to Albion, DeCola served for five years from 2004-09 as the top assistant and defensive coordinator at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C. A member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, his Guilford defense competed yearly against top 20 nationally ranked opponents. In his tenure he mentored a pre-season All-American and seven All-ODAC players. Prior to this, he was the head coach at Greensboro Day School, where his team was honored with the 2001 North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association’s Tony Cullen Sportsmanship Award.

After completing his master's of fine arts degree from the University of Utah, DeCola was named head coach of East High School in Salt Lake City. Inheriting a team with a record of 1-11, he transformed the Leopards program, finishing the season 8-5 with the first trip to the state playoffs in school history. He also coached goalies for the University of Utah's club men's lacrosse team.

DeCola graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth in 1995 with a bachelor's of fine arts in sculpture. During his time at UMass-Dartmouth, he was a four-year starter in the goal, led the Corsairs as a senior captain and held a nationally ranked save percentage.

DeCola grew up on the north shore of Boston, in Beverly, Mass., and graduated from Beverly High School in 1991. DeCola and his wife, Angela, are the proud parents of two children, Camille and Gianna.