By USA Lacrosse Press Release · July 10, 2026
USA Lacrosse today announced the high school girls’ coaches from each geographic area selected as winners of the 2026 Coach of the Year Awards. The award honors a girls’ lacrosse head coach in each area who exemplifies the ideals of the game of lacrosse.
The award is intended to recognize the individual’s overall coaching performance and contribution, not just coaching wins - although they may be considered. Nominees must demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship on and off the field, and also demonstrate excellent rapport with their players, officials, and other coaches.
USA Lacrosse oversees the selection of the high school awards, which are administered locally by area chairs. Selections are based on voting by coaches within each geographical area.
The Coach-of-the-Year Award is one of four awards that comprise the USA Lacrosse high school girls’ recognition program, along with All-American, All-Academic, and the Jackie Pitts Award.
Updates/corrections can be sent to gamesadministration@usalacrosse.com.
2026 USA Lacrosse High School Girls' Coaches of the Year
| USA Lacrosse Area | Coach's Name | School |
Alabama | Todd Polhemus | Hoover |
Arizona | Diana Oduho | Xavier College Prep |
California - Greater Los Angeles | Shea MacDonald | El Segundo |
California - North Coast/ Sac-Joaquin | Carlton Chan | Piedmont |
California - Orange County | Kelly Petite | Santa Margarita Catholic |
California - San Diego | Carrie Long | La Jolla |
Delaware | Lindsey Underwood | Cape Henlopen |
District of Columbia | Kathy Jenkins | St. Stephen's & St. Agnes |
Florida - Central | Kaitlyn Lucas | Winter Springs |
Florida - Gulf Coast | Mo Asif | East Lake |
Florida - North | Ken McIlhenny | Gulf Breeze |
Florida - South | Jarlyn Mathews | Spanish River |
Georgia | Molly Goins | Harrison |
Idaho | Abigail Escandon | Owyhee |
Illinois | Addie Dieckmeyer | Barrington |
Indiana | Lindsey Goane | Zionsville |
Iowa/Nebraska | Kerstin Zedrosser | Millard West |
Kentucky | Jason Curran | Christian Academy of Louisville |
Maryland - Chesapeake | Cynthia Lisa | Leonardtown |
Maryland - Howard County | Bethany Cunha | Centennial |
Maryland - Western | Shelly Brezicki | Manchester Valley |
Massachusetts - Eastern Independent | Lizzy Rosen | Chapel Hill-Chauncy |
Michigan | Ashton Peters | Brighton |
Missouri - Heartland | Madeline Gilstrap | Pembroke Hill |
Missouri- Saint Louis | Grace Zagursky | Saint Joseph Academy |
Montana | Maddie Johnson | Jackson Hole Lacrosse |
Nevada - North | Leigh Macey | Galena |
New Hampshire | JoJo Curro | Portsmouth |
New Jersey - Shore | Dana Lenneper | Trinity Hall |
New Jersey - South | Katie Boyle | Camden Catholic |
New York - Section 2 (Adirondack) | Shawn Kline | Burnt Hills Ballston Lake |
New York - Section 3 & 4 (Upstate) | Jessica Lavelle | West Genesee |
New York - Section 5 (Rochester) | Chris Hansen | Penn Yan Academy |
Ohio - Central | Megan Strapp | Upper Arlington |
Pennsylvania - Central | Courtney Kaplan | Twin Valley |
Pennsylvania - Northeastern | Michelle Mihalko | Nazareth Area |
South Carolina | Tiffany Tortorello | Lexington |
Tennessee | Corey Donohoe | Ensworth |
Texas - North | Faith Renner | Episcopal School of Dallas |
Utah | Hannah Kelleher | Riverton |
Vermont | Amanda Hull | Woodstock Union |
Virginia - Charlottesville | Meg Kincel | Covenant |
Virginia - Richmond | John Henneberry | Cosby |
Virginia - Southwest | Susan Nye | Rockbridge |
Virginia - Tidewater | Dakota MacMillan | Kellam |
West Virginia | JD Hodges | George Washington |
Wisconsin | Emily Becker | Kenosha |