UMBC is set to hire Ohio State offensive coordinator James Purpura as its next men’s lacrosse head coach, according to Prep Lacrosse’s Ty Xanders, who confirmed the news originally reported by the Nothing Near Post Show on X. Purpura spent one season with the Buckeyes. He previously was the head coach for five years at VMI, culminating in the 2025 campaign in which he led the Keydets to a program Division I-record 10 wins behind the nation’s No. 2 scoring offense.