Caitlin Hansen

Directing camp this summer will be Caitlin Hansen!

Caitlin Hansen was named the second head coach in Saint Leo women's lacrosse history by Director of Athletics Francis X. Reidy in June 2017. She enters the 2021 season with a 28-13 record at Saint Leo and a 78-36 career mark.

The new decade cut short Hansen’s third season at the helm due to COVID-19. The 2020 Lions registered a 4-3 overall record, finishing as the no.19 in the nation polled by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). Hansen and Lions also saw Ashley Salvett named the first women’s lacrosse All-American in program history as the Inside Lacrosse Women’s Maverick Division II Media All-America among the two defensive honorable mention selections.

Hansen led the Lions to a historic 2019 that featured a 13-0 start, setting the program’s best start record, during a 13-4, 2-4 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) finish. During the exciting run, Hansen saw Ashley Salvett earn the title of SSC Defensive Player of the Week (2/18/19) followed by the program’s first-ever SSC Offensive Player of the Week in the form of Janee DeLuca (3/4/2019). The Saint Leo record books were marked constantly. Leslie Ferguson became the program’s all-time point leader with 177 while also becoming the Green and Gold’s all-time scorer with 141 goals. Kaylah Walstad became the Lions’ all-time assist leader with 51 while earning the program’s second highest point count with 140 under Ferguson. On the other side of the field, Delaney Chrisco and Ashley Salvett etched their names into the single-season record book. Chrisco earned a season-best 34 caused turnovers followed by Salvett with 30. Finally, the single-game points and goals records are now set by Ferguson with 10 points and seven goals against Palm Beach Atlantic (4/6/19). Hansen also saw Sarah Pierson claim the draw control game-record with 11 against Montevallo (3/24/19) followed by Chrisco with 10 at Tampa (4/17/19).

During her first season, Hansen led the Lions’ to the program previous best season start showcasing six-straight wins. Under her leadership, Saint Leo closed the 2018 season with an overall record of 11-6, 2-4 mark in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). On March 14, she saw the Lions’ earn the program’s first-ever national ranking by US Lacrosse, naming Saint Leo No. 19 among Division II competition. Saint Leo continued to grab national attention, climbing to No. 15 on April 4. Hansen saw multiple school records fall in both the game and season categories among a handful of career milestones reached by her student-athletes. To wrap up the inaugural year, Saint Leo earned three SSC All-Conference honors.

Hansen came to Saint Leo from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., where served as the head coach for four seasons, after taking over the Wildcats' club program. She capped that run by leading JWU to a 16-5 record in 2017, including a 9-0 conference record and the Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship. The Wildcats advanced to their first NCAA tournament berth, after earning the No. 11 ranking in the New England regional poll.

Hansen was tabbed as the 2017 GNAC Women's Lacrosse Coach of the Year, with nine Wildcat players, all recruited by Hansen, receiving All-GNAC honors. The 2017 player honors also included GNAC Goalkeeper of the Year for junior Marianna Consiglio, while senior Lydia Knapp was the only player out of the conference named to the All-Region squad.

Over her four years at the helm of Johnson & Wales women's lacrosse, Hansen posted a 50-23 (.685) overall record as head coach.

Hansen has also served as a coach with the Team Elevate New England club women's lacrosse program since 2013. Based out of Providence, Team Elevate is one of the nation's top club lacrosse organizations.

Prior to accepting the position at Johnson & Wales, Hansen served as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Bryant University for the 2009 through 2011 seasons. During that span, Bryant reclassified from Division II to Division I and joined the Northeast Conference, with Hansen assisting with on- and off-campus recruiting, practice preparation, game film breakdown and opponent scouting reports, and travel logistics.

Hansen also worked in the Bryant Admissions office from 2011 to 2013, recruiting prospective students from New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and western Massachusetts.

Hansen is a 2008 graduate of Bryant University with a degree in Communications and was a four-year letterwinner with the women's lacrosse program. A 2007 All-Region honoree, Hansen was a two-time All-Northeast 10 selection and three-times named to the Academic All-Conference team. She is tied for second among Bryant's all-time (DI + DII) points leaders with 195, and is third among all-time goals leaders with 161.