Zach Nedbalski was hired to helm the Methodist men's lacrosse team in 2013. In ten seasons, he compiled an overall record of 77-74 and earned two Coach of the Year honors in league action. He spent the first year of his tenure recruiting and not in competition.
In 2023, Nedbalski's team returned to the USA South Tournament after posting a 4-4 record versus conference opponents. The No. 5-seeded Monarchs traveled to No. 4-seeded LaGrange College in the quarterfinal round, earning a 24-16 victory. During the 2023 season, two of Nedbalski's talented student-athletes recorded huge milestones – Mark Chatt logged his 100th career point, while Hunter Vaughen scored the 100th goal of his collegiate career. Vaughen was named USA South Offensive Player of the Year, leading the Monarchs in both goals (57) and assists (22), while midfielder RJ Breeden earned Second Team All-Conference accolades. In the team's regular-season win over Brevard College, Methodist set multiple program records, scoring 26 goals and producing a 23-goal margin of victory.
The 2022 season witnessed the first complete winning season since 2019, as the Monarchs went 9-8 overall and 4-5 in league play. Midfielder Jesse Leyble was named to the USA South All-Conference Second Team. Highlights from the season included two Monarchs (Hunter Vaughan & Matt Pemberton) scoring their 100th point during the same play and one Monarch (Tyler Bennett) breaking the single-game record for face-off wins and ground balls.
In 2021, the season returned to some normalcy as the Monarchs finished the season 6-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play.
The 2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19. Before the cancelation, Nedbalski led Methodist to a 5-3 overall record, including a positive 91-78 goal differential. The Monarchs also recorded 67 assists through the eight games. That mark led the USA South and Methodist's goal against average (9.69) was second in the conference.
The Monarchs' 9-7 record in 2019 and a 4-3 mark in the USA South Athletic Conference earned Nedbalski his first USA South Coach of the Year honor. Methodist finished second in the conference's regular season after a prediction of fifth place in the preseason coaches poll. He coached two players to First Team All-USA South conference selections.
After spending the program's first four seasons of competition in the Southeast Independent Lacrosse Championship, the Monarchs joined the USA South in men's lacrosse in 2018 where Methodist finished with an overall record of 6-10 but a conference mark of 3-3. Nedbalski coached another two players to First Team All-USA South conference selections.
In 2017, Nedbalski was honored as the SEILC Coach of the Year, as well as Methodist University's McLean Foundation Coach of the Year as voted on by a committee of MU faculty and staff for an outstanding 15-3 season. The Monarchs' banner season included winning the Southeast Independent Lacrosse Championship with a 15-10 win over Ferrum. Of the Monarchs' three losses, one came to eventual NCAA National Champion Salisbury and another was to an NCAA Div. II institution.
Under Nedbalski's leadership, five players were named to the all-conference team in 2017, including SEILC Offensive Player of the Year Jake Smerka. Smerka also took home the two top Methodist University awards as he was named MU's top male senior athlete and presented the Mason Sykes cup – given to the university's top overall student-athlete.
The 2017 team ranked in the Top 30 nationally in assists, assists/game, face-off winning percentage, ground balls, ground balls/game, points/game, scoring offense and man-up offense. The Monarchs' winning percentage of .833 was the 11th best in Division III. The 2017 team also saw Smerka rank 6th nationally in man-up goals, Kyle Clarkson was 26th in assists/game, and Jackson Bingham was 28th in goals-against average,
In 2016, the Monarchs posted their second consecutive .500 season with a record of 9-9. Nedbalski led his team to the title game of the Southeast Independent Lacrosse Championship, where they fell to Ferrum, 16-13, on the Panthers' home field. He saw five players selected to the All-SEILC team, including SEILC Newcomer of the Year Kyle Clarkson. His 2016 team ranked in the top 50 nationally in scoring offense, ground balls per game and faceoff winning percentage.
In the team's second season of competition, the Monarchs compiled an overall record of 8-8 – a five-game improvement from the team's 3-10 record in its inaugural season. His 2015 squad ranked fourth in NCAA Div. III in man-up offense, converting nearly 50 percent of their extra-man opportunities.
Before arriving at Methodist, Nedbalski had spent the previous two years as a graduate assistant coach at Berry College. He served as the Defensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator while helping to see the program through its initial two seasons.
Before joining Berry, Nedbalski spent two years as an assistant at Randolph-Macon College. He helped lead the Yellow Jackets to 14 wins and back-to-back appearances in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference postseason tournament in his two seasons there.
Nedbalski went to Randolph-Macon College after spending the 2007-2008 season in London, England. As a Local Development Officer for the English Lacrosse Association, Nedbalski helped develop lacrosse in South London primary and secondary schools. He created lesson plans, practice plans, and coached U-16 and men's teams.
Before heading across the pond, Nedbalski attended Queens University of Charlotte, N.C., where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Nedbalski was part of the first men's lacrosse team in school history. As a member of the lacrosse team, Nedbalski served as a two-year captain and earned the Coach's Award in 2004 and 2007. During his junior season, the Royals snapped Limestone's 64-game conference win streak and went to the conference championship game. They were ranked in the USILA Division II Top 10.
Nedbalski earned his master's degree in secondary education from Berry.
Nedbalski's Record at Methodist…
| Season |
Record (Overall) |
Record (Conference) |
Season Notes… |
| 2014 |
3-10 |
— |
Won inaugural game 23-3 at home against Southern Virginia University on 2/22/14 |
| 2015 |
8-8 |
— |
|
| 2016 |
9-9 |
— |
SEILC Newcomer of the Year |
| 2017 |
15-3 |
— |
SEILC champions, SEILC Coach of the Year, SEILC Offensive Player of the Year |
| 2018 |
6-10 |
3-3 |
First season in USA South Athletic Conference |
| 2019 |
9-7 |
4-3 |
USA South Coach of the Year |
| 2020* |
5-3 |
0-0 |
*Season canceled on 3/16/20 due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 |
6-6 |
4-4 |
|
| 2022 |
9-8 |
4-5 |
|
| 2023 |
7-10 |
4-4 |
USA South Offensive Player of the Year |
| TOTALS |
77-74 |
19-19 |
|
