Villanova Univeristy Athletics

A three-time all-conference offensive lineman, Bill Lacey overcame chronic back pain throughout his career to become an All-American his senior year. He played for successful Villanova teams which made two playoff appearances during his career and went on to be a successful collegiate coach which included a one-year stint on the Wildcats staff. Lacey played from 1990-93 and graduated from Villanova in 1994. He was inducted to the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2010.
 
Lacey battled back pain throughout his career but still started all 35 games that the Wildcats played in his first three collegiate seasons. That included consecutive playoff appearances in 1991 and 1992 when Villanova was a combined 19-5. The 1991 squad won a share of the Yankee Conference title and the 1992 team was the Lambert Meadowlands Trophy winner.
 
As a senior Lacey earned honorable mention All-America honors from the Sports Network and was named to both the ECAC and the Yankee Conference second team offense. The play of the offensive line enabled the Wildcats to amass more than 3,300 yards of total offense for the season.
 
In each of the playoff seasons in 1991 and 1992, Lacey was named to the Yankee Conference first team offense. Villanova allowed just 18 sacks in 12 games played in 1991 and averaged 34.4 points per game while running for over 200 yards per contest and totaling 442.0 yards of offense per game. It all added up to a 10-2 season and an appearance in the FCS playoffs where the Wildcats were narrowly defeated by eventual national champion Youngstown State. Villanova continued its success in 1992 when the offense averaged 26.2 points per contest while amassing more than 380 total yards and 175 rushing yards per game.
 
After the conclusion of his playing days Lacey began his coaching career as an offensive line coach at Muhlenberg in 1994. He moved on to the first of three stints at Wagner in 1995 and had a stop at Bates for the 1996 season.
 
Lacey was an assistant coach at Sacred Heart from 2000-01 and was named the head coach of the Pioneers before the 2002 season. He guided Sacred Heart to a 13-8 record in two years as head coach, then returned to Villanova and was a tight ends coach on Andy Talley’s staff in 2004. Following his third stint at Wagner from 2005-06, Lacey began a career in public safety.