England Head Coach Walt Christianson inducted into Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame

England Men’s Box Lacrosse Team Head Coach Walt Christianson has been inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026.

Christianson, who has been in charge of the national side since 2016 and has led England to five major championships, winning the team’s first piece of silverware at the 2022 Euros, is inducted alongside 10 of his compatriots across five categories.

Inducted into the Builder category, Christianson’s career has taken him to the very top of the sport as both a player and coach, and he has been a “transformative force in the sport, moving beyond the bench to architect programs that have elevated the game from the local rinks of Vancouver Island to the global stage.”

He has certainly had a huge impact on box lacrosse in England, helping to build the programme from its early days to where it is now, with almost 100 players as part of the wider England playing pool and many more regionally, an annual Winter Box League, an annual Northern Box League, and hubs for box lacrosse in both Macclesfield and Oxford.

Christianson’s career speaks for itself, winning two Mann Cups as a player and two as a coach in his home country, but “his true legacy lies in the systems, pathways, and coaching lineages he has created for the next generation of the sport.”

Christianson said:

“Joining the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class of 2026 as a Builder alongside so many legends of the game is a tremendous honour. 

“From the local rinks of Vancouver Island to building international programmes on the global stage, lacrosse has been an extraordinary journey for me. I look forward to helping grow, shape, and elevate the sport for many years to come.”

The Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame has been honouring the game’s best since 1964 and aims to preserve the memory of stars throughout the game and keep a log of the history of Canada’s national summer sport.

A formal induction banquet and ceremony will be held at the Anvil Centre, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada on Saturday 24 October.

Additional information on the inductees and the induction banquet will be posted on the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame website HERE.

Walt Christianson

Organisational History

British Lacrosse Assistant Coach (December 2025-present); England Box Lacrosse Head Coach (2016-present); San Jose Stealth Head Coach (2006–2008); Vancouver Ravens Head Coach (2005); Colorado Mammoth Assistant Coach (2004–2005); Calgary Roughnecks Assistant Coach (2002–2003); Victoria Shamrocks Head Coach (1990-1991, 2002–2007, 2010–2011); Victoria Shamrocks Assistant Coach (2001); Victoria Junior Shamrocks (2014, 2015).

Honours

Mann Cup Champion (Victoria Shamrocks Player: 1983, 1999); Mann Cup Champion (Victoria Shamrocks Head Coach: 2003, 2005); European Box Lacrosse Championship Gold Medalist (England Head Coach: 2022); BC Provincial Field Lacrosse Gold Medalist (Head Coach: 2010, 2012); WLA League Championships: Multiple titles and five consecutive Mann Cup appearances as Head Coach (2002–2006); 2019 World Lacrosse Box Championships (England Head Coach); 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships (England Head Coach).

Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Players | Glen Clarke, John Grant Jr, Grant Hamilton, Karolyn Karpun, Bruce Murray

Veterans | Michael John Howard, Jim Weller, Steve Manning

Builders | Walt Christianson, Bob McMahon

Officials | Ray Durante

Team | Canada Women's Sixes Team 2022