USA Lacrosses Names Girls' USA Select Team Coaches

SPARKS, Md. — USA Lacrosse has named Kristen Carr, Molly Ford Hutchinson, Megan Huether Nicotra, Caitlyn McFadden Phipps and Lauren Schwarzmann Skellchock as the girls’ coaches for the 2023 USA Select teams. Carr and Skellchock will coach the U18 team, Ford Hutchinson and Phipps will coach the U16 team and Huether Nicota will work with both teams.

All five coaches are returning to the program for at least the second year.

The USA Select teams are chosen from participants of the National Team Development Program (NTDP). Following NTDP regional tryouts, more than 100 players were selected to attend a national combine, which begins on Monday at USA Lacrosse headquarters. Following the combine, 22 players will be named to the USA Select U16 and U18 teams and will compete against international competition during the USA Lacrosse Fall Classic in October.

Carr was recently named as the head women’s lacrosse coach at Towson University. A member of the USA Lacrosse Board of Directors, Carr is one of the most successful U.S. women’s team players ever. She spent over a decade playing for the U.S. national team, winning gold medals in 2013 and 2017. Still actively playing in Athletes Unlimited, the former North Carolina All-American has coached on the collegiate level at North Carolina, Delaware, Stanford, Ohio State and Johns Hopkins.

Ford Hutchinson is the head coach at The Hockaday School in Texas where she has led the school to two straight state championships. She is in her fourth year with the NTDP and is a former U.S. national team member. She was also a two-time All-American at Georgetown.

Huether Nicotra is in her second year coaching with the NTDP. A four-year starting goalie at Duke, Huether Nicotra played in the U.S. national team program for a decade, winning gold medals in 2009 and 2013. A former college assistant coach at William & Mary and Navy, she was recently named as the head girls’ lacrosse coach at the McDonogh School (Md.).

Phipps has been an assistant coach at her alma mater, Maryland, since 2012, helping the Terps win four national championships. A two-time first team All-American and ACC Player of the Year, Phipps helped the Terps win a national championship as a player in 2010 and won two world championships (2009, 2013) with the U.S. team program. This is her third year working with the NTDP.

Skellchock has been the head coach at Mount St. Mary's since 2015 and led the team to Northeast Conference championships and NCAA tournament berths in 2021 and 2022. This is her second straight year working with the NTDP and she previously was a college assistant at Cincinnati, San Diego State and Stanford. Skellchock played collegiately at Johns Hopkins and helped the team reach two NCAA tournaments and she was a multi-year member of the U.S. national team.

Since launching in 2019, the NTDP has helped serve as a pipeline to the U.S. National Team Program, providing players with exposure to players, coaches and training methods from the national team program. Each year, more than 1,500 boys and girls participate in the program. The recently named 42-player 2024 U.S. Women’s U20 Training Team that will compete next summer in Hong King, China in the World Lacrosse championship features 31 players who came through the NTDP.

The USA Lacrosse NTDP is sponsored by Cascade Maverik. STX, New Balance, Gatorade, Enovis, MedStar Health, NCSA, First Scout Productions, Stryker, Athletic Republic.

ABOUT USA LACROSSE

USA Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is a Recognized Sports Organization of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. As the governing body of men’s and women’s lacrosse in the United States, USA Lacrosse leads the U.S. National Teams Program and establishes universal standards. With more than 400,000 members across the country, USA Lacrosse unites the community of players, coaches, officials, parents, and program leaders. Working together, we inspire participation, enrich the athlete experience, and support the growth of the sport.