The Rochester Knighthawks have promoted assistant coach Ed Comeau to head coach, general manager Jody Gage announced last night.

Official word of the move, which had been expected, came at halftime of the Rochester Rattlers' (Major League Lacrosse) game against Long Island.

Comeau replaces Paul Day, who resigned in May after eight seasons as the Knighthawks' skipper and has since resurfaced as head coach and general manager of the expansion Edmonton Rush.

Although best known in National Lacrosse League circles as Les Bartley's right-hand man with the Toronto Rock from 1999 to 2003, Comeau does have some head coaching experience.

He was, in fact, Bartley's substitute when the Hall of Fame coach stepped aside in November 2003 to battle colon cancer. A 2-4 start to the 2004 season cost Comeau his job, and the opportunistic Knighthawks brought him onto the staff as an assistant coach just ten days later.

In addition to his NLL experience, Comeau has coached the McMaster University field lacrosse team for fifteen years and the Brampton Excelsiors and Burlington Chiefs of the Ontario Lacrosse Association's Junior A circuit.

Comeau has also been (or is slated to be) as assistant coach for several national teams representing Canada, including the 2002 and 2006 World Lacrosse Championships, 2002 and 2004 Heritage Cup games, and the 2003 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship.