STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Kelly McPartland, a two-time National Champion at Maryland, current member of the Athletes Unlimited Professional Lacrosse League, and most recently an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Delaware, has been named head women’s lacrosse coach at Wagner College.
“We are lucky to add Kelly McPartland to the Wagner family,” said Seahawk athletic director Walt Hameline. “She has competed and coached at numerous prestigious institutions where she has continued to cultivate her passion for collegiate athletics. Our student-athletes will gain a great deal under her tutelage.”
“I am extremely grateful to Walt Hameline and Brendan Fahey for this unbelievable opportunity!” said McPartland. “It is an honor to be named the Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Wagner. I am looking forward to working with the Wagner staff and continuing the great success of this program. I cannot wait to get started with this team!”
McPartland inherits a Seahawk program that, under Michelle Tumolo, reached a Northeast Conference-record seventh consecutive conference tournament championship game in 2021. Tumolo recently accepted the head coaching position at Army West Point.
Prior to her two seasons with the Blue Hens, McPartland spent the 2015-2019 seasons as an assistant at Columbia University, where the Lions made the program’s first-ever trip to the Ivy League Tournament in 2018. A Farmingdale, N.Y. native, McPartland is also a former coach of the Long Island Yellow Jackets lacrosse club, whose players have gone on to D-I programs across the country.
McPartland also played professionally in the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL) as a midfielder for the Fight. Prior to joining the WPLL for its inaugural season in 2018, she played for the Long Island Sound in the United Women’s Lacrosse League for two years. In November 2018, McPartland was part of a 15-player team that traveled to Japan with the WPLL to help continue growing the sport around the world.
As a member of the US Women’s National Lacrosse Team from 2011 to 2015, McPartland won a gold medal for Team USA at the 2011 FIL Women’s U-19 World Lacrosse Championship in Hanover, Germany.
Prior to joining Columbia, McPartland spent four years as a standout midfielder at the University of Maryland. As a Terrapin, she helped lead Maryland to back-to-back National Championships in 2014 and 2015. As a junior, she finished the season with 61 goals and 94 points on her way to earning All-American honors. A team captain as a senior, McPartland was also a three-time NCAA All-Tournament Team member and a three-time selection to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List (2013, 2014, 2015)
McPartland graduated from Maryland in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in hearing and speech sciences.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT MCPARTLAND
“Kelly cares deeply about those around her and will help the women’s lacrosse student-athletes get better both on and off the field.”
– Cathy Reese, University of Maryland Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach
“Kelly’s knowledge of the game, recruiting ability, and passion for the sport make her an exceptional coach. Wagner is very fortunate to be getting one of the best in the game.”
– Amy Altig, University of Delaware Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach
“Kelly understands what it means to compete at the highest level and I have no doubt that her experiences will help her in this new exciting journey!”
– Lauren Kahn, Iona College Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach