Steven Brooks (lacrosse)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
Nickname | Brooksie (Fastest shot: 108 mph) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | 1984 (age 41–42) Illinois, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Position | Midfield |
| Shoots | Left |
| NCAA team | Syracuse University |
| NLL draft | 22nd overall, 2008 Chicago Shamrox |
| MLL draft | 6th overall, 2008 Chicago Machine |
| MLL team | Florida Launch, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Chicago Machine |
| PLL team | New York Atlas |
| Pro career | 2008–2019 |
Steven Brooks (born 1984) is an American former professional lacrosse player and current professional head coach. A two-time NCAA champion at Syracuse University, a two-time Major League Lacrosse champion, and a 2025 Premier Lacrosse League champion as a coach, Brooks is also a three-time Hall of Famer. He was selected sixth overall in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft by the Chicago Machine and later retired from the New York Atlas of the Premier Lacrosse League in 2019.
Brooks played high school lacrosse at Libertyville High School in Libertyville, Illinois, before completing a postgraduate year at Bridgton Academy. He played college lacrosse at Syracuse, where he earned first-team All-American honors and received the McLaughlin Award as the nation’s top midfielder, while helping lead the Orange to two NCAA Division I championships.
In January 2020, immediately following his retirement, Brooks was named assistant coach of the New York Atlas in the PLL, becoming the first former PLL player to transition into a coaching role. As the team’s offensive coordinator and assistant coach, he helped lead the Atlas to their first PLL Championship in 2025.
In January 2026, Brooks was named head coach of the Carolina Chaos of the Premier Lacrosse League becoming the first former Premier Lacrosse League player to serve as a head coach. In March 2026, Brooks led the Chaos to the 2026 PLL Championship Series title. With the victory, Brooks became the first coach in league history to win both the PLL Championship and the Championship Series back-to-back.
In recognition of his contributions to the sport, Brooks has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the Bridgton Academy Hall of Fame in 2023, the Libertyville High School Hall of Fame and the Illinois Sports Hall of Fame (both in 2025).