Phipps Brings Championship Pedigree, Aspirations to Georgetown

You’ll have to forgive the Maryland coaching staff, parents and fans.

They had to laugh a little when Caitlyn Phipps returned to College Park for a fall scrimmage against Maryland wearing blue and gray Nike gear emblazoned with a Hoya bulldog.

“They gave me a little bit of a hard time,” Phipps said with a laugh.

To be fair, it was a little strange for her too.

“It was funny being in the visiting team locker room and seeing all the Terp parents,” Phipps said of the Sept. 28 Maryland Play Day featuring Georgetown, James Madison, Maryland and Temple.

For the unfamiliar, Phipps has spent about half her life wearing red, white, gold and black — the colors of the Maryland flag. A Phoenix, Md., native, she has deep roots in the Free State. (So does her husband, Brian, a former Terps goalie himself).

An IWLCA first-time All-American and Tewaaraton Award-winning midfielder, Phipps led Maryland back to national glory as the NCAA championship MVP in 2010. After a stint as Florida’s assistant, she returned to College Park and helped usher in a new era of greatness, winning four more national titles. She had a hand in coaching four players who won the Tewaaraton a total of six times, including three-time winner Taylor Cummings.

Phipps also has extensive experience in the U.S. National Teams system, playing for world championship teams in 2009 and 2013 and serving as a coach in the National Team Development Program.

With a resume like that, why wait so long to become a head coach?

Maryland was home, Phipps said. She needed an offer she couldn’t refuse.

“I played at Maryland and had been there for a really long time, and it wasn't a place I was just going leave just for any job or to be a head coach,” Phipps said. “I always wanted it to be a place that I really believed in.”

Georgetown was that place.

“Georgetown's always been a place to me that I believed could be successful in lacrosse because of its academic reputation, alongside with a history of excellence in athletics and specifically lacrosse,” Phipps said.

Georgetown has been successful. The Hoyas were NCAA runners-up in 2001 and 2002 and made it to the final four in 2004. But they haven’t played in the NCAA tournament since 2019 and have ceded the Big East to Denver.

Like everyone else, Phipps expected here former U.S. team coach Ricky Fried to continue his two-decade tenure with Georgetown in 2025. She planned to stay at Maryland. Like everyone else, Phipps learned Fried was stepping down Aug. 22. She put her hat in the ring.

It helped that Georgetown is less than 90 minutes from Maryland — at least on a good day, and not just for recruiting. Phipps is the mother of two young children ages 3 and 9 months. (Do the math — she’s had quite a year.) Both sets of grandparents were nearby. It takes a village, you know.

The move made sense for Phipps’ family, but Georgetown’s timing was peculiar. The school announced her as the head coach Sept. 16. Most new coaches had been in their posts since the middle of the summer and certainly before Sept. 1, when they could start recruiting high school juniors.

Phipps has always been about process and remaining even-keel — one foot in front of the other, one game at a time. It sounds cliché, but it has served her well. However, the truth of the matter is that the late hire meant she was playing from behind in terms of choosing a staff and recruiting. Julie Morse, an assistant under Fried, stayed on and serves as a bridge between the two staffs. Morse has also been a guidepost and sounding board for Phipps.

“I looked at her last week, and I'm like, ‘Do we have a bus for this weekend?’” Phipps said. “She's been incredible and so helpful, and she really did a great job with his team while they didn't have a coach. She kept them staying positive. She coached them alone every single day, and I couldn't be more grateful that she rolled with it and has been here to support me through this time, too.”

Phipps plans to round out her staff with another assistant and director of operations. In the meantime, she’s also working on assembling her 2026 freshman class. She was on the phone with Morse before the ink on her contract dried and the press release announcing her hiring hit the internet.

Phipps is excited for the long-term future, but, true to form, she’s focused on what’s directly ahead. Georgetown returns three of its four leading scorers from 2024 in Emma Gebhardt (32 goals, nine assists), Gracie Driggs (38 goals, 43 draw controls) and Maley Starr (25 goals, nine assists). Gebhardt’s stickwork, vision, and creativity align with the offensive style Phipps would like to implement.

“What I'm trying to bring to this group is some more creativity,” Phipps said. “I want them to be out there making the decisions and finding ways to be creative and play together, learning about what each other's strengths are.”

Driggs’ strength is her ability to finish inside, but Phipps says she’s already showcasing an ability to dodge up top. Starr, a two-way midfielder, has become a better cutter. She led Georgetown in caused turnovers (20) last season and Phipps is impressed with her communication on defense.

Ditto for Lily Athenas, a returning starter and leader of the unit. Mikaila Kitchen, who made eight starts on defense as a junior, and Francesca Alpajaro, who played in six games, also provide a veteran presence.

Leah Warehime returns in net, and Phipps says her steady communication and ability to make saves have been evident early. Last year’s backup, Olivia Shinsato, and rookie Amanda Reed, who stopped more than 500 shots during her high school career at York Catholic (Pa.) offer depth.

Speaking of freshmen on the defensive end, Christina King, a St. Paul's (Md.) product, was recently named to Inside Lacrosse’s Power 100 Freshman Rankings. To Phipps, she represents a piece of the future.

The last six weeks have been a whirlwind for everyone.

“Sometimes, I have to remind them that we've only been together for three weeks and not to overthink things too much,” Phipps said.

She’s trying to do the same, setting incremental goals.

“Short-term, I think we should be competing for Big East championships every year,” Phipps said. “That will help with our long-term success. Hopefully, we can start to make NCAA tournaments and do bigger and better things in the future.”

Georgetown has been there before — and so has Phipps.