Brooke Diamond O’Brien is in her 15th season as the head women’s lacrosse coach at Washington and Lee. In 2020, she was named the department's Senior Woman Administrator.
Over her 14 seasons, O'Brien has led the Generals to a 202-57 (.780) overall record. The Blue and White has won 12 ODAC titles (111-4, .965 winning percentage in league play) and made 12 trips to the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by a Final Four appearance in 2017. She has been named the ODAC Coach of the Year eight times, the VaSID Coach of the Year three times and was the IWLCA Chesapeake Region Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2019.
The W&L women's lacrosse players have thrived under O'Brien's leadership. A total of 19 players have combined for 23 IWLCA All-America accolades, including five first team honorees. O'Brien's players have also totaled 51 IWLCA all-region laurels, 39 VaSID All-State citations and 90 All-ODAC honors. She has coached six ODAC Player of the Years, three ODAC Offensive Player of the Years, two ODAC Defensive Player of the Year, two VaSID Player of the Years, one VaSID Offensive Player of the Year, one VaSID Defensive Player of the Year, four ODAC Rookie of the Years and five ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Years.
The most successful season in program history came under O'Brien's watch in 2017. The Generals went 19-2 overall (setting the W&L single-season record for victories) and captured the program’s eighth-straight ODAC Title. The Blue and White advanced to the NCAA Semifinals for the first time in program history, before falling to TCNJ, 5-4, in double overtime. W&L earned its first No. 1 ranking in the Nike/US Lacrosse that year, and for her efforts, O’Brien was named the IWLCA Chesapeake Region, ODAC and VaSID Coach of the Year.
During the 2021 season, W&L notched a 14-1 record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals. During the season, the Generals extended the program-record home win streak to 30 contests and broke the overall win streak with 18 straight victories. During the campaign, the team also broke the single-game record for goals (30) and margin of victory (29). O'Brien earned her 200th career victory in the semifinals of the ODAC Tournament.
In 2019, the team totaled the second-most wins in program history, finishing the year 18-3. W&L defeated four Top 20 teams during the season, advancing to the NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals. The Blue and White led Division III with the fewest turnovers per game (11.86), and also set a new program single-season scoring record with 351 goals. The Generals claimed their 10th straight ODAC Championship, and notched 15 straight victories during the season, while going a perfect 11-0 at home. W&L also swept all five major ODAC honors, while putting nine players on All-ODAC teams. O'Brien was named the IWLCA Chesapeake Region Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the season.
The Generals continued their ODAC streak under O'Brien in 2018 and claimed their ninth straight league championship, while making the NCAA Tournament for the ninth consecutive year. W&L finished 16-5 overall and went a perfect 8-0 in the ODAC. The Blue and White fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at York (Pa.). O'Brien claimed the 150th victory of her career during the season.
O'Brien's first campaign at W&L resulted in one of the best seasons in program history. The Generals set a then school record for wins in a season (17-3) and at the time, achieved the highest national ranking (5th) in the history of the program. W&L went undefeated in conference play, claimed the conference tournament title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
In 2014, O'Brien led the team to another 17-3 mark. The Generals claimed the ODAC title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament regional round after taking down Denison, 13-5, in the second round at home. W&L's season came to an end when it fell to fourth-ranked TCNJ in the regional round. Coach O'Brien also recorded her 100th career win in the ODAC title game after going a perfect 10-0 in conference play and 11-0 at home.
In the 2015 campaign, the Blue and White claimed a 16-3 overall record and a 10-0 mark in ODAC action. After claiming an ODAC title, W&L appeared in the NCAA Tournament and defeated Sewanee, 18-4, in the second round. The Generals’ advanced to the regional round of the playoff, before falling to 17th-ranked Fredonia.
O'Brien came to W&L after serving as an assistant women's lacrosse coach at Amherst College and as a graduate assistant women's soccer coach at Smith College from 2005-07.
At Amherst, O'Brien assisted in all aspects of the program and helped lead the Lord Jeffs to a No. 6 ranking and the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2006. At Smith, O'Brien was also involved in all aspects of the women's soccer program and helped lead the team to a 14-7-1 record and an ECAC New England Championship during the 2006 season.
O'Brien graduated Magna Cum Laude from Amherst in 2003 with a bachelor of arts in psychology and law, jurisprudence and social thought. She earned a total of 12 letters as a member of the women's lacrosse, women's soccer and women's basketball teams and served as a captain for all three sports.
In lacrosse, she was a two-time First Team All-America selection and two-time Kelly Award winner as the Division III National Goaltender of the Year. She was named the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division III Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was selected the Division III Women's Lacrosse Tournament's Most Outstanding Player in leading the Lord Jeffs to the 2003 National Championship.
In soccer, O'Brien was a four-time all-region selection as a goalkeeper, leading Amherst to the 2001 NESCAC Championship and an NCAA Tournament Runner-Up finish. She was a two-year captain of the basketball team. Following her playing career, O'Brien was presented the Howard Hill Mossman Trophy as the senior athlete who brought the greatest honor to athletics at Amherst College during their four years.
A native of Longmeadow, Mass., and an alumnus of the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn., O'Brien worked as a financial analyst with Goldman, Sachs & Co., in New York and London from 2003-05. She earned a master of science in exercise and sports studies from Smith College in the spring of 2007.
O'BRIEN YEAR-BY-YEAR AT W&L
YEAR | RECORD | ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
2021 | 14-1 | ODAC Champions, NCAA Regional Semifinals, ODAC & VaSID Coach of the Year |
2020 | 5-1 | Season cut short due to CoVID-19 - ranked No. 4 by IWLCA at conclusion |
2019 | 18-3 | ODAC Champions, NCAA Regional Semifinals, ODAC & IWLCA Chesapeake Region Coach of the Year |
2018 | 116-5 | ODAC Champions, NCAA Second Round, ODAC Coach of the Year |
2017 | 19-2 | ODAC Champions, NCAA Semifinals, ODAC, VaSID & IWLCA Chesapeake Region Coach of the Year, School Record for Wins |
2016 | 13-6 | ODAC Champions, NCAA First Round, ODAC Coach of the Year |
2015 | 16-3 | ODAC Champions, NCAA Regional Round |
2014 | 17-3 | ODAC Champions, NCAA Regional Round, Tied Then School Record for Wins, VaSID Coach of the Year |
2013 | 10-10 | ODAC Champions, NCAA First Round, ODAC Coach of the Year |
2012 | 15-5 | ODAC Champions, NCAA First Round |
2011 | 15-5 | ODAC Champions, NCAA Second Round, ODAC Coach of the Year |
2010 | 14-5 | ODAC Champions, NCAA First Round |
2009 | 13-5 | ODAC Runner-up |
2008 | 17-3 | ODAC Champions, NCAA Second Round, Then School Record for Wins, ODAC Coach of the Year |
Katie Lasater is in her first season as the Washington and Lee women's lacrosse assistant.
Lasater came to Washington and Lee from the West Chester Area School District (Pa.), where she served as an assistant women's lacrosse coach and administrative assistant since February of 2021. Prior to then, she had been an assistant women's lacrosse coach at Kutztown University from 2018-21, assisting the program in a variety of ways. These included practice planning, scouting reports, film breakdown, team travel and fundraising.
Lasater's coaching experience also includes one season as an assistant coach at Arcadia University and she served as a coach with the Philly Blast Lacrosse Club from 2017-21.
As a player, Lasater competed collegiately at Cabrini University, totaling 126 career points on 94 goals and 32 assists. She helped lead the Cavaliers to four straight conference championships and four trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament. She was named the MVP of the 2016 CSAC Championship Game. Lasater graduated from Cabrini in 2016 with a bachelor of science degree in marketing.
Maddie Coleman enters her ninth season as the assistant women's lacrosse coach at Denison in 2022 and her third season as Associate Head Coach.
The 2021 season marked an historic one for the Big Red as they made it all the way to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in program history.
In eight seasons at Denison, she helped lead the Big Red to seven North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championships from 2014-21 (2020 season canceled). Denison has also advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament in seven seasons and from 2016-21 (2020 season canceled), DU won the NCAC regular season title. Denison has won 37-straight regular-season conference games dating back to the 2015 season.
Prior to the 2019 season, Coleman was named the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Association Assistant Coach of the Year for Division III Women's Lacrosse.
In 2019, Coleman and the Big Red rolled through the NCAC with another percent 8-0 record. The team finished the year with a 16-5 record while facing one of the most difficult schedules in school history. Four of Denison's five losses came against nationally ranked opponents and on March 22, the Big Red defeated No. 23 Rowan, 16-15 in overtime. In the postseason awards, Jane Goodspeed was named to the IWLCA All-American team for the second time while repeating at the NCAC's Defensive Player of the Year. First-year Casey McTague was named the NCAC's Newcomer of the Year. Denison qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the 21st time and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the fifth time.
In 2018, Coleman assisted the Big Red to a 17-3 record, reaching their fourth Sweet 16 in program history. Setting seven new team records in 2018, Denison's Leah Israel and Jane Goodspeed were named to the IWLCA All-American team.
In 2017, the Big Red went 15-4, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Senior Claire Ludlow was named to the IWLCA All-American team for the second time in her career.
Coleman is involved in all aspects of the program on and off the field. Her primary concentration on the field is defense and goalie coordination. In the office, Coleman has responsibilities in overall program management including recruiting, team travel planning, and practice and game strategies. She is involved in many college lacrosse camps as well as coaching for a Club Team.
Coleman came to Granville from Glenalmond College in Perth, Scotland where she was the girls' lacrosse coach and sports assistant after a four-year playing career at the perennial powerhouse Gettysburg College.
During her time at Glenalmond, Coleman was responsible for coaching lacrosse, while also working for the athletic department, and teaching physical education classes. In addition, Coleman was the assistant lacrosse coach for the U19 Scotland National team while touring in Canada during the 2013 FIL Women's Lacrosse World Cup.
While at Gettysburg, Coleman earned IWCLA All-American status in 2012 and was the starting goalie on Gettysburg's first Division III Women's Lacrosse National Championship team in 2011. In 2011, she finished 4th in the nation with a .534 save percentage and 10th in goals-against average. The following year, Coleman's .534 save percentage ranked 10th in the country, while her GAA was 11th-best in Division III. She was a two-time first-team Centennial Conference selection and a two-time All-Metro Region honoree. As a captain in 2012, she helped the Bullets capture the Centennial Conference Championship. In 2011 Coleman was named to the NCAA All-tournament Team.
In fall of 2017, Coleman taught a Lifetime Fitness class at DU. Also at DU, Coleman serves as a residence life advocate. A native of Lexington, Va., Coleman earned a Master of Education in Sport Leadership degree in 2016 from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Health Science in 2012 from Gettysburg College.