Major League Lacrosse defenseman and NCAA D-I champion David Manning joined the Bridgewater College men's lacrosse program as a volunteer assistant ahead of the 2018 season.
The Eagles made the ODAC playoffs for the first time in 2018, leading into the second quarter of a competitive 11-5 loss to #17 Roanoke in the opening round. The team went 9-8, a new program mark for victories and the first winning season for the squad. Senior Blake Mann was an All-ODAC selection and was the first men's lacrosse player to achieve numerous awards, including ODAC Scholar-Athlete, CoSIDA Academic All-District, and National Team of the Week.
Manning is in his second season with the Charlotte Hounds of Major League Lacrosse. In 2017 he appeared in 12 games, totaling 19 ground balls and caused two turnovers.
He was originally selected by the New York Lizards in the fifth round of the 2016 MLL draft.
Manning played at Loyola Maryland from 2012-16, where he was a two-year starter on close defense. As a freshman, he made two appearances for the 2012 NCAA national champions, with the Greyhounds defeating Maryland 9-3 in the title game.
He was named a USILA Scholar All-American as a senior in 2016, totaling 14 caused turnovers and 21 ground balls. He was also a team captain and a second team All-Patriot League selection.
Loyola returned to the Final Four in 2016, losing to North Carolina 18-13 in the NCAA semifinals.
