John “Woody” Derham is an assistant coach for Villanova men's lacrosse who started coaching at his alma mater in 2002 with the intention of participating for just one year, but more than 20 years later, there is no sign of stopping.
A 1988 graduate of VU, Derham played alongside head coach Mike Corrado in the mid-1980s under then-head coach Randy Marks. When he returned to the program in 2002, he re-joined Corrado as an assistant under Marks for seven seasons.
Derham has served in various capacities on staff over the years, functioning as director of lacrosse operations, alumni liason and a board director for the Varsity Club Hall of Fame in addition to his assistant coach duties.
Woody's on-field role includes organization of the substitution box and coaching of the faceoff specialists, responsible for the development of seven of the top 10 in program history. Most recently, he coached Justin Coppola to Villanova records in faceoff wins and ground balls.
Woody received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Villanova's College of Commerce and Finance (now Villanova School of Business). In his senior year, Woody was elected as team captain and received the prestigious Jim Jones Award in 1988.
Outside of Villanova, Derham has managed a career in banking and technology, currently operating two technology firms in the Philadelphia area.
Derham has three children: Max, Margo and Gavin. Max (2018) and Gavin (2023) are Villanova men's lacrosse alumni and Margo is a 2020 graduate of Saint Joseph's.
