Wilmington College alum Bear Davis ’97 has been named the head coach of the Ohio Machine. The Machine is a member of the eight-team Major League Lacrosse.

Davis takes over a last-place Machine team that is currently 1-7 on the season with six games remaining. He will make his professional coaching debut 7:30 p.m. Saturday against the Boston Cannons at Selby Stadium on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University.

“There are some fundamental stuff that we are not doing well,” said Davis. “I have hired a new defensive coordinator to retool the offense, and I will retool the offense.”

Davis has a blueprint to building programs and he is ready to put it to work on the professional level.

He is the current head boy's lacrosse coach and associate athletic director at Archbishop Spalding (Md.) in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). Davis took over at Archbishop Spalding after building the men’s lacrosse program at Division I Robert Morris University over a span of seven years as the team’s first-ever head coach.

The groundwork for this hire was laid several years ago as the Machine was looking to relocate from Chicago. One of the places being considered was Pittsburgh and Robert Morris University. During those visit Davis and Machine GM John Algie was able to build a working relationship. In addition, the Machine was looking to draft some players from Robert Morris.

He has other ties back to WC as Davis coached current lacrosse coach Domenic Marzano at Wheeling Jesuit. Davis helped transform the Cardinals from a 2-11 team in 2000 to a No. 10 national ranking and 8-4 record in 2003.

During his time at Wilmington, Davis was a member of Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity and the football team.