10/9/2012 TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa has announced that Kelly Gallagher has been hired as its first women’s lacrosse head coach. Gallagher will begin the duties of starting the program immediately as the team will begin competition in the spring of 2014. “After a national search, Kelly (Gallagher) emerged as the person best suited to lead our program,” says athletic director Larry Marfise. “She has an exceptional lacrosse background along with the energy and positive attitude that is needed to lead us to success. She is also a high character person who will serve as a role model and mentor to our student athletes.” Gallagher brings a total of 15 years of lacrosse experience to Tampa, including coaching stints with Limestone College (2011-12) and NCAA Division I Detroit-Mercy (2008-2011). As the top assistant at Limestone, Gallagher helped the Saints to a 17-2 record in 2012. While advancing to the NCAA tournament, Limestone had three IWCLA All-Americans. The Saints posted the top win-loss percentage in NCAA Division II, and also had five players in the national top-five among statistical rankings. Hired as the first assistant coach in Detroit women’s lacrosse history, which began play in 2009 as the first such program in the State of Michigan, Gallagher was directly responsible for recruiting nationwide as well as handling the scheduling of practices and games. She also handled training of the team’s goalkeepers and scouting of both UDM’s players and their opponents. Among Detroit-Mercy’s accomplishments during her tenure was a runner-up finish in the National Lacrosse Conference in 2009 and a semifinalist appearance the following season. The Titans also had nine players named to the NLC All-Conference Team, six All-Tournament selections and the 2009 NLC Attack Player of the Year. Prior to her time at UDM, Gallagher was an assistant coach at Muhlenberg College from 2006-08. Joining the coaching staff in September of 2006, she helped the team to a 9-7 overall record in 2007 before the Mules posted a solid 11-5 record the following season. While with the Division III institution she was responsible for the development of the goalkeepers, recruitment efforts, the planning of practice and development of offensive sets. Muhlenberg posted a record of 20-12 over those two years and qualified for the Centennial Conference Tournament in 2008 for the first time in program history. That season, the Mules also posted a team-record 11 wins and had a non-conference wins streak of 22 games through that campaign. They also placed five players on the All-Centennial Conference Team and had a North-South All-Star selection. In addition to her college coaching experience, Gallagher also gained valuable international experience as she served as an assistant coach with the Haundenosaunee Under-19 World Team at the 2011World Cup in Hanover, Germany. In that role, she helped to develop and prepare the goalkeepers, plan team camps and practices and develop offensive and defensive strategies. As a player, Gallagher competed for Washington College in Chestertown, Md. from 2003-06. While there, she helped lead the Shorewomen to a runner-up finish in the 2003 ECAC Regional Lacrosse Championship. She started at attack for two seasons and was voted team captain as a senior by her teammates. A 2006 graduate of Washington College, Gallagher holds a Bachelor’s Degree in history and a minor in political science. Visit tampaspartans.com for the latest news and info on University of Tampa Athletics.