July Featured Staff Spotlight: PR Simshauser, Head Men's Lacrosse Coach 

Every Monday through Thursday for the month of July, Chowan Athletics will spotlight select student-athletes and coaches in a series called Featured Hawks. This series highlights Hawks who exemplify excellence in the classroom, in competition, and within the Chowan community. Student-athletes were selected based on their academic achievement, athletic performance, leadership, character, and overall standing with the university. Coaches have the opportunity to share their coaching journey, discuss their programs, and provide insight about their vision for the future. 

Fans will learn more about the individual experiences and stories of our student-athletes and coaches at Chowan. Beginning in August, Fridays will transition to Feature Fridays, continuing the spotlight series by highlighting one individual throughout the school year each week. 

If you would like to be a part of the Featured Hawks as a current or former student-athlete or staff member, email gocuhawks@chowan.edu today! 

Catch the entire podcast on the Hawks Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@cuhawksathletics

July 28th, 2026

Today's featured Hawks spotlights Chowan's head men's lacrosse coach, PR Simshauser. Phillip "P.R." Simshauser enters his fourth season as the men's lacrosse head coach and sixth with the program. The 2026 season marked his 3rd season as head coach, and one of his most successful seasons. The Hawks posted big numbers on both ends of the field, highlighted by Reed Low, Harry Edwards, and Michael Litchfield earning All-Conference honors. The Hawks picked up five season wins, including two conference wins.

In his second season as Head Coach, P.R. Simshauser led the Hawks to a 5-9 overall record and a 2-6 finish in Conference Carolinas play, improving the program's win total from one victory in 2025 to five in 2026. The Hawks showcased an improved offense throughout the season, earning notable wins over Davis & Elkins, Virginia State, and Shorter. Junior attacker Reed Low led the way offensively, setting a program record with 69 points while totaling 52 goals and 17 assists. Low also established single-game school records with nine assists and 16 points against Shorter. Following the season, Low, Harry Edwards, and Michael Litchfield earned Second Team All-Conference Carolinas honors, highlighting the program's continued growth under Simshauser's leadership.

You have several addresses in your life. Tell us about where you grew up? 

I was born in Chicago, grew up in the Northeast (United States), and went to high school in the Catskills, at Yorktown High School. I went to Syracuse University for two years and then ended up finishing out my degree at Arizona. I lived in Washington, D.C. for a little over a decade after college. 

Tell us about your time in Washington, D.C.

I worked in foreign affairs, political communications, and political campaigns. I also worked for a private firm in data analytics and spent my last three years in D.C. working for a congressman. 

After having spent so much time living and working in larger cities, what do you enjoy most about now living in a small town? 

It's definitely the community. I felt a strong connection with the community and the support that is received from both the campus community and the town of Murfreesboro. Community is really the cornerstone of everything I try to teach my guys every day.

What is your favorite spot to take recruits on Chowan's campus? 

I would say it's our locker room. I love to show recruits our locker room. I've spent a lot of time around lacrosse, having played and coached at high levels, and we really have a crown jewel in our locker room and even in our weight room. I love to highlight those two areas for recruits and families when they come to town. 

What is your favorite meal in the Chowan cafe? 

I really enjoy the Chicken and Dumplings. It's a regional delicacy for sure, but it's sometimes called Chicken and Pastry. A close second is curried chicken.

Regionally, lacrosse is still a growing sport. What is something that local fans can get out of coming to a lacrosse match on our campus? 

I would say that lacrosse has something for everyone really. There's a bit of contact, so if you like football it could resonate. If you like the strategy of basketball, there are accents of basketball in lacrosse. There's a tactical approach that is similar to soccer and of course, hockey. All of this creates a really cool spectacle for fans to be a part of. We are kind of the crossfit athletes of team sports. There's a lot of different aspects to the game that creates excitement for any sports fan to come out and watch. 

The 2026 season had a lot of highlights. What made this season so special? 

Thinking back through the last six seasons I've been here, I had my favorite season so far. It was just a great fall season, and I told the guys at the end of the fall season that it was just a lot of fun. I could tell that installs were going really well and metrically, we could see where we could possibly go. Man up or man down, it was definitely one of our best seasons. We still have a lot of adjustments to make playing in the Conference Carolinas but this group of guys makes it a lot of fun. They are a spirited group and they are all trying to build a little family out there.