In came Hillier, who brought in Katie O’Donnell and Alyssa Guido as assistants. Jamie Schneidereith, one of the Schneidereith quadruplets, graduated in May but returned as a volunteer assistant.
A lifetime Long Islander who speaks her mind and commands a huddle, Hillier wasn’t looking for an out at Stony Brook. Kind of like her star graduate students, Drexel’s call was too loud to ignore. One of new athletic director Maisha Kelly’s first hires, Hillier, who played at CAA rival Hofstra, has grandiose visions of what Drexel can become.
“This was just an opportunity I couldn’t pass on,” she says. “This quickly became like a dream job. A lot of it was the people. These girls are incredible. I’m all in.”
"One of the first things that came to my mind when Kim took the position is that we made a statement hire," Kelly said. "Drexel takes lacrosse very seriously, and we’re going to identify and attract the best of the best."
Drexel players became part of the search process once it reached the final stages. They gave in-person tours, conducted phone interviews and participated in meetings.
“Her energy, drive and commitment are things I’ve never seen in a coach,” Grady says. “It’s amazing how passionate she is about the sport. She is so knowledgeable and shares everything she knows so willingly.”
"Kim was one of my highest-profile athletes at Hofstra. Kim choosing Hofstra made it cool to choose Hofstra," says James Madison coach Shelley Klaes, who was at Hofstra from 2002-06. "When you have someone who’s confident enough to do it their own way, people want to follow."
Hillier prefers a hands-on approach as the sun starts peeking through the clouds in the latter half of practice. Working with the midfielders, she sets up cones and repositions bounce-backs on her own. She walks through drills and breaks down fundamentals like a teacher, offering feedback as needed.
“We look good, huh?” Hillier asks during a brief respite. She doesn’t give enough time to respond. With a wide smile, she jumps back in to show players how to keep their elbows in and snap their shots with more oomph.
For all Drexel’s success in 2021, some say they plateaued. The Dragons fizzled out at the end of the season. Harris says their conditioning wasn’t up to par with the likes of James Madison and Rutgers. That shouldn’t be a problem in 2022, as Hillier intends to have her team prepared to run transition for the full 60 minutes if needed.
But intensity isn’t Hillier’s only trait. She’s warm and welcoming. Her team is her family. Hillier welcomes FaceTime calls from her players and has an open-door policy in her office. She even asked to meet their significant others.
“She’s always checking in with people and wanting to know about our lives,” Grady says. “It’s been chemistry since day one.”
Hillier says she doesn’t feel any outside pressure to repeat — or improve upon — Drexel's history-making season. Any pressure she feels is entirely self-inflicted. “Ambition can’t wait,” goes the university slogan. Hillier embodies that bravado. Hard on herself, she only wants her seniors to get everything they deserve.
“They trusted in me,” she says.
Eagerly awaiting a new season in which James Madison’s impending transfer to the Sun Belt Conference leaves the door wide open for a new team to win the CAA championship, Drexel wraps up its morning practice with a quick chat. Hillier and her staff prepare to leave the next day for the IWLCA Convention in Dallas.
“We’re going to miss you guys. I mean that,” Hillier says. “Call or text if you need anything.”
A fittingly family atmosphere at a place that, for some reason, can make anyone feel at home. Outsiders might drive down Powelton Avenue and scoff as they turn into the parking lot of Vidas Athletic Complex, but Drexel has committed to getting every inch out of its resources. The players are doing the same.
“I just knew this was a place I could reach my potential,” Schneidereith said. “Nothing’s really given to anyone here. I knew I would come out of Drexel a better person.”