Northwest Nazarene University Athletics

Tom Blanchard began his college coaching career at Northwest Nazarene University in 2021 after spending the past twelve years coaching as a High School Varsity Head Coach here in the Treasure Valley.

The 2026 season will be the program's inaugural campaign as a member of NCAA Division II after five years as a club program in the MCLA. 

Blanchard was tabbed to start the men's lacrosse program from its inception as a club prior to the 2021 season. He saw nearly immediate success, recording the program's first winning record in the first full season in 2022 before registering back-to-back PNCLL Championships and MCLA National Tournament appearances in 2024 and 2025. Across the four full seasons of the club, Blanchard's Nighthawks posted a 43-17 overall record, including a 30-6 mark in the last two years. 

Originally from Albany, New York, Tom, and his wife Christine settled in the Boise area in late 2005. Tom immediately plugged into the lacrosse community where he has been a relentless ambassador to the game of lacrosse, here in our community. As an ambassador of the game Tom has contributed countless hours to the lacrosse community. Some of his accomplishments over the years have included: redesigning the IHSLL Championship trophy to the one that is currently being used, organized community camps, organized and hosted local lacrosse tournaments, organized and facilitated meetings between the IHSLL and ILOA, serving as IHSLL Vice- Commissioner from 2016-2018, secured and negotiated the venue for the 2018 IHSLL Championship game at Dona Larsen Park, organized and facilitated the first IHSLL Championship games to be live-streamed and so much more.

Tom’s coaching career started with the Timberline Wolves (2007-2012) and during that time he successfully lead the Timberline program to three state championships (’09, ’10, ’12). In 2008 he received the US Lacrosse – Idaho Chapter Coach of the Year award. After many successful years at Timberline he accepted the Head Coaching position at Rocky Mountain where he led the Grizzlies program for six seasons. During his time with Rocky Mountain he built a winning culture and helped elevate Rocky Mountain into an elite program which was consistently in the championship mix. In 2013 he received the US Lacrosse – Idaho Chapter Coach of the Year award. In 2018 Tom was award the US Lacrosse – Idaho Chapter “Person of the Year” award for his contributions to the game of Lacrosse.

Tom and his wife, Christine, have two children, Jaxon and Tenley.