Wesleyan University

John Raba completed his 30th season at the helm of the Wesleyan men’s lacrosse program in 2026. The NESCAC’s all-time winningest coach, Raba owns a remarkable 347–148 career record while competing in the NESCAC, widely regarded as the most competitive conference in Division III men’s lacrosse.

The 2026 season featured another historic postseason run for Raba and the Cardinals. Wesleyan finished 14–5 overall and 7–3 in NESCAC play before advancing to the NCAA Division III Final Four for the fifth time in program history. The Cardinals defeated Ohio Northern and Williams in Middletown before earning an impressive 15–7 victory over No. 5 Christopher Newport in the NCAA Quarterfinals.

Wesleyan finished the season ranked No. 4 nationally in the final USILA Coaches Poll and No. 2 in New England. The Cardinals also captured their third consecutive outright Little Three Championship. Five Wesleyan players earned USILA All-America honors following the season, increasing Raba’s career total to 78 All-Americans coached.

Throughout his tenure, Raba has led Wesleyan to the 2018 NCAA Division III National Championship, five NCAA Final Four appearances (2006, 2007, 2017, 2018 and 2026) and three NESCAC championships (2009, 2017 and 2024). The Cardinals have recorded a winning record in every completed season under Raba except his first in 1997.

In 2025, Wesleyan captured its second consecutive outright Little Three Championship and advanced to the NESCAC Championship game for the second straight season. The Cardinals finished No. 9 in the final USILA Coaches Poll and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.

In 2024, Wesleyan won its third NESCAC Championship and finished the season ranked No. 7 nationally in the final USILA Coaches Poll. Following the season, Raba was named both the NESCAC Coach of the Year and the New England Coach of the Year. It marked the seventh time in his career that Raba earned New England Coach of the Year honors.

Following a two-year interruption due to COVID-19, the 2022 Cardinals returned to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 despite nearly 80 percent of their starters competing in those roles for the first time. Wesleyan finished the season ranked No. 13 in the final USILA Coaches Poll.

In 2019, the Cardinals entered the season ranked No. 1 nationally for the first time in program history. Despite graduating 15 seniors from the 2018 national championship team, Raba guided Wesleyan to a 13–4 overall record, an 8–2 NESCAC mark and a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Cardinals also earned a share of the Little Three Championship, marking their third straight title.

The 2017 and 2018 seasons represented one of the greatest two-year stretches in program history. In 2018, Wesleyan defeated Salisbury, 8–6, at Gillette Stadium to win the NCAA Division III National Championship-the first national team championship in Wesleyan University history. The Cardinals’ championship run included road victories over No. 2 Tufts and No. 1 RIT before defeating Salisbury in the national title game. Raba coached a program-record nine All-Americans that season.

In 2017, after dropping its season opener, Wesleyan won 20 consecutive games-the longest winning streak in the nation across all NCAA divisions. The Cardinals finished 20–2 overall and 9–1 in NESCAC play, establishing program records for overall victories and conference wins while capturing the NESCAC and outright Little Three championships.

Wesleyan advanced to the NCAA Final Four, and Raba was named the USILA Division III National Coach of the Year, NESCAC Coach of the Year and All-New England Co-Coach of the Year. His staff was also selected as the Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year. Wesleyan produced seven All-Americans, including Ted Bergman ’17 and Harry Stanton ’18. Bergman received the Ensign C. Markland Kelly Jr. Award as Division III’s top goalkeeper, while the Cardinals earned the James “Ace” Adams Sportsmanship Award.

Throughout his career, Raba has earned four NESCAC Coach of the Year awards (2001, 2006, 2017 and 2024) and seven New England Coach of the Year honors (2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2017 and 2024). He has coached three national position players of the year. In 2019, Raba was inducted into both the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame and the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Raba also coached football at Wesleyan from 1996–2007, spending eight seasons as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator. He was named an assistant director of athletics in 2009 and has also served as the athletic department’s recruiting coordinator and athletic admissions liaison. In addition to his coaching and administrative responsibilities, Raba is an adjunct professor in Wesleyan’s physical education department.

A 1993 graduate of the University of New Haven, Raba was a standout in both lacrosse and football. On the lacrosse field, he earned USILA All-America honors and led Division II in scoring as a senior. On the gridiron, he was a three-year starter, two-time captain and two-time All-New England selection at running back. He earned team MVP honors while helping New Haven reach a No. 2 national ranking.

Raba was named the University of New Haven’s Male Athlete of the Year in both 1992 and 1993 and was inducted into the UNH Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. Before arriving at Wesleyan, he coached football at Brown University in 1995 after serving as a graduate assistant at New Haven from 1993–94.

A native of Farmingdale, New York, Raba starred at Farmingdale High School, one of the nation’s premier lacrosse programs. He and his wife, Jen, have two sons, Jack and Jason. Jack, a former Wesleyan captain and three-time All-American, returned to Wesleyan’s coaching staff in 2026 after serving as the offensive coordinator at Gettysburg College. Jason graduated from St. John’s University in 2026 after spending four years as a midfielder in the Red Storm men’s lacrosse program.