Alison Valerio

Alison Valerio (Niagara '10) enters her 11th year as the head women's lacrosse coach at Washington & Jefferson during the 2023-24 academic year.

The Presidents claimed their second-straight PAC title by defeating Grove City 13-5 on May 7. The conference title was the fourth in program history. W&J also made its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament. W&J won nine of its 10 matches versus PAC opponents by eight or more goals. Valerio earned her third conference coach of the year honor after guiding W&J to a 12-5 overall mark. Amanda Effland earned Second Team All-Boardwalk Region honors from the IWLCA. Nine Presidents were named All-PAC, which included First Team honorees, Effland, Sarah Labovitz, Sam Casile and Ella Phillips.

Valerio guided the Presidents to an impressive 10-1 record during the 2021 season. W&J rolled to an 18-3 victory over Thiel in the PAC Championship match on May 1 to earn the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Presidents advanced to the Sweet 16 round for the first time in school history before being eliminated by eventual National Champion Salisbury. Seven Presidents garnered All-PAC honors following the season. Sarah Labovitz (Offensive Player of the Year) and Kaitlyn Brown (Newcomer of the Year) joined Valerio (Coach of the Year) as PAC award winners. Both Labovitz and Amanda Effland received All-West Region status from the IWLCA.

The Presidents recorded a 9-8 overall mark with a 6-1 conference record in 2019. W&J advanced to the PAC Tournament Championship game, which marked the fourth straight season that the Red and Black have reached the conference tournament championship contest. A total of seven Presidents were named All-PAC at the conclusion of the season, which included five First Team selections. Rae LaRochelle was named All-PAC First Team and All-ECAC Second Team following a record breaking junior season. LaRochelle recorded program records for goals (71) and points (95) in 2019.

Valerio led the Presidents to a 13-4 overall record and an 8-1 mark in Ohio River Lacrosse Conference games. The season was highlighted by a seven-game winning streak that helped W&J advance to the conference championship game for a third straight season. Under her direction, the Presidents amassed seven All-ORLC selections, two All-ECAC honorees and two IWLCA All-West Region performers.

In 2018, Caroline Kallos wrapped up her decorated collegiate career by earning ORLC Defensive Player of the Year honors for a third straight season. Kallos also earned First Team honors from the ORLC, the ECAC and was named Second Team All-West Region. Allison Onslow joined Kallos on the All-ECAC team, while goalkeeper Sara Maute was named a First Team All-West Region by the IWLCA.

After starting the 2017 season at 1-4, the Presidents rattled off 12 wins in a row, including nine ORLC games, en route to back-to-back ORLC titles and an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship. After getting a bye into the second round of the tournament, the Presidents fell to No. 13 Catholic to cap a 13-5 season.

The 2017 team was led by freshman and ORLC Newcomer of the Year Rae LaRochelle and junior and ORLC Defensive Player of the Year Caroline Kallos, the second straight year Kallos received the honor. LaRochelle led the Presidents in scoring with 80 points on the season and tied the single-season goals record (63) while Kallos tallied 77 points (56 goals, 21 assists).

In 2016, Valerio coached the Presidents to a 13-4 record and the first ORLC championship in program history. As a result, Valerio took home her first Coach of the Year award and saw seven Presidents players earn all-conference honors, including the Defensive Player of the Year, Caroline Kallos.

The 2015 Presidents posted a nine-win season, including 7-2 record in the newly-formed Ohio River Lacrosse Conference. W&J made it to the conference semifinals for the second-straight year under Valerio's guidance and had five players named All-ORLC, including Newcomer of the Year, Caroline Kallos.

In 2014, Valerio led the Presidents to a semifinal finish in the Presidents' Athletic Conference tournament.

Valerio was the Presidents’ assistant coach during the 2013 season. A 2010 graduate of Niagara University, Valerio also earned a master’s degree in education at the same school in 2012. Prior to her arrival in Washington, Valerio spent one season as the assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Niagara.

Since arriving in western Pennsylvania, Valerio has also worked as an associate club coach with the Pittsburgh Premier Lacrosse Club.

Valerio was a four-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honoree as a player at Niagara. A four-year letter winner, Valerio was an important part of the Purple Eagles' offense after playing in 54 of a possible 56 career games. Academically, she was a member of the Phi Alpha Theta and Pi Lambda Theta International honor societies.

She has worked numerous camps throughout her career, including the University of Virginia Fast Break Camp and the Nike Cup Camp at Syracuse University.