Lily Cross

Lilly Cross brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the Wilkes University women's soccer program, joining as an assistant coach for the 2024 season. A former standout at Messiah University, Cross played a key role in the program’s success, winning three MAC Commonwealth championships and making multiple deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, including a National Runner-Up finish in 2016. Her leadership and dedication on the field earned her MAC Academic Honor Roll honors and set the stage for her coaching career.

Cross transitioned into coaching with Keystone College, where she served as head coach for two seasons (2022-2023) after an earlier stint as an assistant. At Keystone, she was instrumental in recruiting, developing training sessions, and managing all aspects of team operations. Under her guidance, the Giants produced multiple all-conference selections, including the 2022 conference Rookie of the Year, and earned United Soccer Coaches All-Sportsmanship and All-Academic Team honors.

Currently, Cross leads the Back Mountain Torrent in United Women's Soccer (UWS) League 1 as head coach, a role she has held since April 2023. In her first season, she guided the team to the UWS League 2 Championship, coaching the league’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year while producing multiple All-League selections. In addition to her collegiate and semi-professional coaching roles, Cross is also a U8-U11 Girls Lead Trainer at Back Mountain Rush and works as a personal trainer at AthElite Performance Training.

As both a coach and former high-level player—including five seasons in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) with Hershey F.C., where she was named a WPSL All-Star—Cross brings a dynamic and experienced approach to player development. Holding a degree in Athletic Training from Messiah University, she continues to shape the next generation of athletes with her expertise in both performance training and tactical development.