Melanie Rizzotti

Melanie Rizzotti is the head women’s lacrosse coach at Pacific Lutheran University and serves as the girl’s lacrosse director for Next Athletes and the Nike Girl’s Lacrosse Camp at Boise State University.

Melanie Rizzotti joined the Lute coaching staff in June of 2023 as the first ever head coach of the varsity women's lacrosse program.

Rizzotti comes to Luteville after spending the previous two seasons at Division II University of Charleston. The Mukilteo, Washington native began her tenure with the Golden Eagles as a. graduate assistant in 2022 before being elevated to head coach for the 2023 season.

Charleston tied a school record for wins in Rizzotti’s first season at the helm, winning eight games while setting a school record for conference wins after closing the Mountain East Conference slate with a 7-3 mark. Rizzotti’s Golden Eagles were edged in the MEC Tournament by eventual champion Notre Dame College.

Prior to Charleston, Rizzotti served as head junior varsity coach at Seattle Preparatory School for three seasons.

As a student-athlete, Rizzotti was named to the All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sportsmanship Team while playing at Division III Whittier College. A midfielder for the Poets, Rizzotti played in 61 games over her four year career, scoring 23 goals with seven assists and 79 ground balls.

Rizzotti graduated from Whittier College with a degree in sociology while earning a master’s in business administration from Charleston.