Susan Stuart, 'Heart and Soul' of Colorado College, to Retire

National Lacrosse Hall of Famer Devon Wills, one of the greatest women’s lacrosse goalies in the history of the game, didn’t start playing lacrosse until eighth grade. Growing up in Denver, ice hockey had been her sport.

Desperate for goalie insights in her newfound sport, Wills devoured every instructional video she could find. Most were focused on the men’s game.

Fortuitously, just a few years earlier, Susan Stuart had become the head coach of the new women’s program at Colorado College. A former goalie in the U.S. Women’s National Team program and later for Team Canada, Stuart (aka "Stuey") was heavily invested in building her new varsity team in Colorado Springs. Nevertheless, she agreed to provide the personal tutelage that Wills needed.

“To succeed, you have to have role models, and I found mine in Susan Stuart,” Wills said. “Susan, along with [four-time U.S. World Cup player] Danielle Gallagher, inspired me to be my best. Susan coached me to combine a technical foundation with risk taking.”

Of course, Wills eventually became a three-time collegiate All-American at Dartmouth, a three-time world champion with the U.S. Women’s National Team, and an All-World Team goalie. She is always quick to give credit to Stuart for the developmental assistance during her formative years.

Those who know Stuart will simply nod agreeably, because that’s the gracious person that they know. More than just being a coach, Stuart has also worked tirelessly to promote the sport’s growth, particularly in the West Region.

And now, the only coach in the 31-year history of the Colorado College women’s lacrosse team is retiring. Stuart announced earlier this year that she is stepping down at the conclusion of the 2025 season. Colorado College (15-3) plays its last regular-season game Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern at TCNJ.

A WIAC tournament appearance will soon follow.

“She is one of the folks who did things the right way,” said Shawn Maloney, USA Lacrosse’s Colorado-based manager of adaptive sports growth. “All of my friends who played for Stuey say that she coached with pure joy.”

With 328 career wins (and counting), Stuart ranks ninth all-time in victories among NCAA women’s lacrosse coaches. She has built Colorado College into a perennial NCAA Division III Top 20 program while being named the IWLCA’s West Region Coach of the Year seven times.

“Stuey has been the heart and soul of our women’s lacrosse program for 30 seasons, guiding our student-athletes to unparalleled success,” said Lesley Irvine, Colorado College’s vice president and director of athletics. “We are deeply grateful for her leadership, dedication and lasting impact on our program and the sport. Stuey’s legacy will forever be a part of Colorado College. Simply put, she is truly a legend in the sport of women’s lacrosse.”

Originally from Great Falls, Mont., Stuart competed at William Smith as a dual-sport athlete, playing goalie in both lacrosse and soccer before graduating in 1989. She was inducted into the William Smith Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

Stuart was the first William Smith player to earn a spot on the National Team, playing for the United States from 1989-95. She later was the starting goalie for Team Canada in the 1997 and 2001 World Cups and then assistant coach for Canada in 2005 and 2009, winning a silver medal in 2009. 

Before moving to Colorado Springs, Stuey was an assistant at Roanoke College, Penn State and James Madison.

"The past 30 years have been nothing short of amazing," Stuart said. “"The student-athletes I have had the privilege to coach are all incredibly bright, creative, welcoming and very hard-working. I can’t express enough gratitude for all the joy I have had from coaching these amazing women over the years. I ended up in the absolute perfect place for me.”