Embry-Riddle Aero Univ - Daytona

Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Florida Southeast

Private Medium Developing team

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Coaches

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Caitlin Villareal Kenahan

Caitlin Villareal Kenahan was named the head coach of the Embry-Riddle women’s lacrosse program in September 2022. She assumed the role after a successful 2021-22 season as the Eagles’ Offensive Coordinator.

Prior to coming to Embry-Riddle, Villareal Kenahan worked as a volunteer assistant coach for one season and as an assistant coach/scouting report coordinator for two seasons at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island. She also spent two years as the head varsity lacrosse coach and three years as the assistant varsity field hockey coach at Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island.

Villareal Kenahan comes from a lacrosse family. Her father, Bill, played lacrosse for Navy and was the head women’s coach at Salve Regina for eight seasons before being tabbed as the Seahawks’ acting Director of Athletics in August 2022. Her brother, Ryan, played for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, while her sister, Maddie, played for Salve Regina and her youngest sister, Caroline, played for Saint Anselm.

Villareal Kenahan’s lacrosse heritage translated into successful careers at the collegiate and professional levels. She played collegiately at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, where she was a four-time Northeast-10 Second Team All-Conference selection. She led the Hawks to their first NCAA Tournament bid in 2014 and played in the 2016 IWLCA North/South All-Star Game. She wrapped up her career ranked fourth in points (226), third in goals (184) and ninth in assists (42) in program history.

After graduation, Villareal Kenahan played in the United Women’s Lacrosse League, which was the first professional women's lacrosse league in the United States. She played for the Boston Storm in 2017 and 2018 helping them to the championship game in both seasons.

Villareal Kenahan earned a degree in Business from Saint Anselm in 2016.

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Christina Nikolai

Stetson alumna Christina Nikolai was tabbed as the assistant coach of the Embry-Riddle women's lacrosse program in January 2023.

Nikolai was team captain and a five-year starting defender for the Hatters' women's lacrosse team. As a junior, she was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference first team after leading the team in caused turnovers and finishing sixth in the league in ground balls per game (2.22). She also garnered ASUN Honor Roll and IWLCA Academic Honor Roll honors in 2021 and was an ASUN Academic Honor Roll selection in 2022.

Nikolai spent a year and a half as the coach of the Burning River Lacrosse club program in Ohio. She was also a Student-Athlete Academic Success Specialist and Business Foundations tutor at Stetson.

A native of Medina, Ohio, Nikolai graduated from Stetson with and undergraduate degree in Business Administration in 2020 and earned her MBA in 2022.

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Spencer Wims

Following a lengthy national search, the Embry-Riddle Athletics administration announced its selection of Spencer Wims as the head coach of the Eagles’ men’s lacrosse program in October 2016.

Wims came to Embry-Riddle from the University of Indianapolis. He was selected as the program’s first assistant coach in 2015 and helped guide a Greyhound squad that included 27 freshmen to a No. 4 seed in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament and a No. 19 ranking in the USILA/Nike Coaches Poll in the program’s inaugural season in 2016. UIndy’s defensive, recruiting and face-off coordinator, he coached three ECAC Rookies of the Week, as well as league offensive, defensive and specialist honorees. The Greyhounds’ scoring and man-down defenses were ranked 12th in 2016 and UIndy’s eight-win season included victories over sixth-ranked Lake Erie and 17th-ranked Lindenwood.

Prior to going to UIndy, Wims was the top assistant at Belmont Abbey for four seasons where he helped the Crusaders to school single-season records in wins (11) in 2013 and 2015. He helped coach seven All-Conference defensive players, including the program’s first All-American and 2015 Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year Devin Cruz, and improved Belmont Abbey’s scoring defense rank from 30th to 15th.

Wims was a two-time United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-American at Limestone College, earning first team recognition in 2009 and 2011. A two-year team captain, he led the Saints to four NCAA national semifinal appearances and three Conference Carolinas championships.

At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Wims went to the Charlotte Hounds in the 18th round of the Major League Lacrosse draft. He played three seasons of professional lacrosse with the Hounds as well as one season with the Charlotte Copperheads professional indoor squad.

Wims earned his bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from Limestone in 2011. He and his wife Jennifer reside in Lake Mary.