IWLCA Recognizes 2026 Coaching Staff of the Year Recipients

16 Institutions Recognized

By IWLCA Admin, 6/16/2026, 2:30pm ET

Photo by Steve McLaughlin, courtesy of Middlebury Athletics.

IWLCA Recognizes 2026 Coaching Staff of the Year Recipients

16 Institutions Recognized

NORTHBOROUGH, MASS. – The IWLCA has announced the 2026 National and Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year. The IWLCA Coaching Staff of the Year Award honors one National and multiple Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year from each division and a National Coaching Staff of the Year from the NAIA.

All four National Coaching Staff of the Year honorees earned a National Title this past season. All winners will be honored at the IWLCA Convention, which is set to take place this November at the Tradewinds Resort in St. Pete Beach, FL.

IWLCA National Coaching Staffs of the Year

Division I — Northwestern University
Coaches: Kelly Amonte Hiller, Scott Hiller, Alexis Venechanos, Nicole Beardsley Montag, Kiera Shanley

The Wildcats (19-3, 7-1 Big Ten) captured their ninth National Championship, defeating North Carolina, 14-11. NU ended the year with a 14-game win streak and a perfect 8-0 record on the road, as well as winning their fourth consecutive outright Big Ten regular season title and fourth consecutive Big Ten Tournament championship, the first team to accomplish such a feat. Combe Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller now has the most national championships by any head coach in NCAA lacrosse history (men’s or women’s lacrosse), has become one of five female head coaches in NCAA history to earn nine or more national championships. Amonte Hiller holds a perfect 40-0 record in home NCAA tournament games, beginning in 2004. Under her and her staff, Northwestern is the first team to win a national championship on its home field since Maryland in 1986. Amonte Hiller earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors for the fourth straight campaign and the sixth time in the last seven seasons.

Division II — Florida Southern College

Coaches: Kara Reber, Madison Mills, Katy Richardson, Tim Pease, Madi Tare, Abby McFerren, Maria Reeves, Emily Lortz, Liz Harrison

Ten years after the program’s first National Championship, Kara Reber and her staff led Florida Southern College women's lacrosse to its second National Championship in program history to cap off an impressive team resume for the 2026 season. The Mocs began their season on a 4- game win streak, most notably knocking off then No. 1 UIndy 9-8, who had just defeated defending National Champions Tampa, in a neutral-site game. Soon after, the Mocs suffered their only loss of the 2026 season to Flagler, who would hold the top spot in the IWLCA rankings for the remainder of the season. The Mocs then won 17 straight, including winning the SSC Regular Season title outright (7-0 in SSC Play). FSC later won the SSC Tournament and then earned the top seed in both the NCAA South Regional and the Final Four, en route to the program’s second Championship. Kara Reber was named Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year and garnered nine players to All-SSC teams. Six were tabbed IWLCA All-South Region selections, five were IWLCA All-American Selections, and three were named USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American Selections.

Division III — Middlebury College

Coaches: Kate Livesay, Olivia Seymour, Amy Patton, Bowen Holden

Kate Livesay and staff led the Middlebury women's lacrosse program to its sixth NCAA Championship in its last six seasons of competition, achieving a perfect 23-0 record for the third time in four years. After hoisting the NESCAC Championship trophy, the Panthers rolled past their first three opponents in the national bracket by a combined score of 57-12. A scintillating overtime goal stifled a furious comeback bid by Tufts and secured a 10-9 victory in the national semifinal. Middlebury capped its remarkable season with an 8-6 win over Wesleyan, claiming its fifth consecutive national title. The program collected multiple major awards, including the IWLCA National Player, Attacker, and Defender of the Year, five IWLCA All-Americans, eight IWLCA AllRegion honorees, the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year and Coaching Staff of the Year, as well as five all-conference selections.

NAIA — Benedictine College

Coaches: Clare Hanson, MacKenzie Petersen

In her fifth season at the helm, Head Coach Clare Hanson led the Benedictine Ravens to a second straight national title, third in her tenure, taking down SCAD Savannah to earn the red banner once more. Benedictine led the NAIA in goals (418), shots (769), shots on goal (624) and draw controls (396). They ranked second in assists (226), fifth in caused turnovers (241) and third in ground balls (410). They finished the season with a perfect 19-0 record and secured all six first-place votes in the final NAIA Postseason Coaches’ Poll.

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2026 IWLCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year

Division I

Mid-Atlantic Region
Johns Hopkins University
Coaches: Tim McCormack, Nicole Graziano, Dorrien Van Dyke, Jill Girardi, Tayler Kirtley

The Blue Jays ended the 2026 season at 17-5 with a program record for wins, after falling to eventual national champion, Northwestern, in the NCAA Semifinals. Hopkins defeated Stony Brook, 13-12, to advance to Championship Weekend for the first time in the Division I era of the program. The 17 wins mark just the third time since JHU moved to Division I in 1999 that the Blue Jays have at least 14 wins. Johns Hopkins produced two of the Big Ten major award winners and saw five players listed on the All-Big Ten team, three on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and one on the Sportsmanship Team.

Northeast Region

Army West Point
Coaches: Michelle Tumolo, Sammy Cermack, Charlotte Sofield, Jordan Dean

The Army West Point women’s lacrosse coaching staff delivered a transformational 2026 season defined by historic milestones, national relevance, and the strongest competitive profile in program history. Under the leadership of Head Coach Michelle Tumolo, the Black Knights captured their first Patriot League Regular Season Championship, finished with a 15–5 overall record and an 8–1 conference record, and rose as high as No. 13 nationally in both the USA Lacrosse and IWLCA polls. In one of the most significant accomplishments in modern Patriot League history, Army ended Loyola Maryland’s unprecedented 95–0 undefeated regular-season conference streak, a run that had remained unbroken since the Greyhounds joined the league in 2014. This victory, combined with a top-five national win over No. 5/7 Yale, established Army as one of the nation’s most ascendant and competitive programs.

South Region

University of North Carolina
Coaches: Jenny Levy, Samantha Giacolone, Marie McCool, Kayla Wood, Olivia Vergano

North Carolina (19-2) finished another incredible season that resulted in the return to the NCAA Championship final.  The Tar Heels placed eight players on the various All-ACC teams, with three claiming positional Player of the Year accolades. Chloe Humphrey was named IWLCA Player and Attacker of the year, the second consecutive year the sensational sophomore claimed both awards. Jenny Levy reached a career milestone during the season, hitting 450 career wins to make her the second-winningest coach in Division I history.

West/Midwest Region

Northwestern University
(See above.)

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Division II

Atlantic Region

East Stroudsburg University
Coaches: Xeni Barakos-Yoder, Rachel Ward

The ESU women’s lacrosse team had arguably its best season in program history, setting multiple team and individual records during the 2026 campaign. Tying the team record with 20 wins and only losing twice and scoring a program record 403 goals (previous record was 328 in 22 games), the Warriors captured their fifth Atlantic Region title and returned to the NCAA Semifinals for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. ESU went undefeated in the regular season, picking up seven wins over ranked opponents, five of which were by double-digit goal margins. Sadie Kauffman, Paige Moreland, and Molly Atwell each received national recognition by earning IWLCA Player of the Week honors during the season, with the former also being named the Division II Attacker of the Year. For the second time in program history, the Warriors had three players score 50-plus goals, as well as two players record over 50 assists in ESU's best offensive season to date. ESU averaged the most shots per game in Division II, the second most goals, and the third-best scoring margin, finishing the season ranked tied fourth, the second-highest the Warriors have finished in the end-of-season rankings.

East Region

Mercy University
Coaches: Dawn Sachs, Joe Corace, Briana Corace, Olivia Maute, Leah Hansen

Head Coach Dawn Sachs earned ECC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her career after leading Mercy to a 16-4 record. Sachs and her coaching staff led Mercy to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2022 and their first NCAA Tournament win in program history. The Mavericks won their first ECC Tournament Championship since 2023 and won the ECC Regular Season Championship for the sixth time in program history after going 6-0 in league play. Mercy ended the season ranked No. 14 nationally in the IWLCA Poll and matched a program record with its 16 wins this season.

Midwest Region

Maryville University
Coaches: Melissa Gyllenborg, Carly Shisler

Head Coach Melissa Gyllenborg and assistant Carly Shisler led the Saints to the deepest NCAA Tournament run in program history. Maryville finished as national runner-up as the Saints reached the DII championship game for the first time in their eight-year history. The Saints started their NCAA Tournament run with a win over No. 24 Rockhurst. Maryville upset No. 3 Indianapolis 11-10 on the road to claim its first Midwest Regional title. At the National Semifinals, the Saints took down No. 2 seed East Stroudsburg to reach the NCAA DII title game. The Saints had three IWLCA All-Americans – Paige Murphy was a first-team selection, while Helen Bae and Dorothy Fife were second-team All-Americans. Murphy led the nation in scoring with 113 goals, while Bae finished her career as Maryville’s all-time leader in goals (262), assists (110), and points (372), as well as draw controls (377). Fife led a defense that ranked 16th in the nation in scoring defense and had 40 ground balls and 29 caused turnovers. The coaching staff directed the No. 8 scoring offense in the nation at 16.27 goals per game and the No. 8 scoring margin team at +7.68.

South Region

Florida Southern College
(See above.)

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Division III

Berkshire Region

Wesleyan University
Coaches: Kim Williams, Clara Bissell, Sam Vitka, Bre Cavanaugh

Kim Williams and her staff led the Cardinals to the team's best season in program history. Wesleyan achieved a 19-4 record, establishing a single-season wins record, while finishing as the NESCAC runner-up for the third straight year. The Cardinals went on to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight season, something the team had never done prior to Williams’ arrival in 2016. Wesleyan toppled Cortland, UChicago, and Trinity on their way to the program’s second-ever Final Four appearance and first since 2019. Facing Salisbury in the NCAA Semifinal, Wesleyan prevailed with a 5-4 win, to earn a spot in the NCAA Championship game for the first time in team history. This group featured the IWLCA Goalkeeper and Midfielder of the Year as well as four All-Americans, seven All-Region selections, five All-NESCAC honorees, and the program’s first NESCAC Player of the Year honoree (Lindsey Diomede earned Defensive Player of the Year).

Boardwalk Region

The College of New Jersey
Coaches: Sharon Pfluger, Robin Selbst, Bob Henderson, Jackie Scullin, Kileigh Pfluger, Pam Edwards

TCNJ head coach Sharon Pfluger and her staff led the Lions to their 15th consecutive NJAC title and a trip to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2026. TCNJ defeated rival Rowan twice - the first on the road to clinch the NJAC regular-season title and the second time in the conference final - and advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022 thanks to an upset of then-No. 7 Amherst in the third round. The Lions boasted the NJAC's Attack Player of the Year (Marissa Lucca) and Goaltender of the Year (Hailey Wexler), both of whom went on to be named IWCA All-Americans, as well as six all-conference and five all-region performers. TCNJ's 18 victories in 2026 were tied for its highest tally since 2018.

Chesapeake Region

Salisbury University
Coaches: Jim Nestor, Allie Ryan, Liz Marr, Caroline Daly, Julianna Fohner

Jim Nestor was named C2C Coach of the Year, as the Sea Gulls notched their fifth undefeated regular season in program history. The Sea Gulls captured their sixth straight C2C title and made their 15th NCAA Semifinal appearance, recording a final record of 20-1 with three players making IWLCA All-American Teams and seven landing on the IWLCA Chesapeake All-Region Teams.

Empire Region

St. John Fisher University
Coaches: Marykate Edmunds, Alexis Bower, Logan Chase, and Cassidy King

The St. John Fisher University women's lacrosse team's 2026 season came to an end with a 17-4 loss to No. 1 Middlebury in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The team claimed four major Empire 8 awards and had a conference-high 12 players named to All-Conference teams, while Coach Edmunds and her staff received Coaching Staff of the Year honors. The Cardinals finished the season with a 16-5 record.

Great Lakes Region

Denison University
Coaches: Amanda Daniels, Maddie Morrell, Tori Vernau, and Katherine Yarusso

The Big Red finished their season with a program-high 19 wins and two losses, after securing their fourth consecutive NCAC Tournament title to go to their 19th overall NCAA championship appearance. Denison fell 11-10 to Christopher Newport University in the NCAA Division III Championship. The Big Red broke the team single-season records for most goals (344), assists (201), and points (545). The Denison coaching staff also received Coaching Staff of the Year honors after leading the team to the NCAC Regular Season Championship.

Metro Region

Haverford College
Coaches: Katie Wertman, Anna Devlin, Roma Hladky, Shannon Horn

The 2026 season marked another historic chapter for the Haverford College Fords women’s lacrosse program, as the Fords continued their ascent among the nation’s elite. Haverford secured the top seed in the Centennial Conference Tournament for the first time in program history, captured its first regular-season conference title, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. The Fords have now reached three straight NCAA Tournaments and qualified for four of the last five national tournaments, cementing this stretch as one of the most successful eras in program history. Under the leadership of head coach Katie Wertman and her staff, who were named the Centennial Conference Coaching Staff of the Year, Haverford posted a 14-7 overall record while continuing to build national recognition. One of the season’s defining moments came in a 13-8 win over Franklin & Marshall, marking the program’s first win over the Diplomats in 26 years. Individually, junior Finley Jordan earned Third Team All-America honors from USA Lacrosse Magazine, while seniors Brooke Epstein (second team) and Lauren Anderson (third team) were additionally named IWLCA All-Americans.

Pilgrim Region

Middlebury College
(See above.)

West Region

Pomona-Pitzer Colleges
Coaches: Sarah Queener, Brian Eisenberg, and Sylvia Queener

Pomona-Pitzer women's lacrosse lost to Trinity in the NCAA Tournament Round of 16. The result brought the Sagehens' final season mark to 17-2 overall and marks the second straight season Pomona-Pitzer reached the Round of 16. Pomona-Pitzer claimed its fifth straight SCIAC Tournament Championship to give the Sagehens an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Queener and her staff were named the Staff of the Year, and eight Sagehens were named All-SCIAC First and Second Team members.