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Florida Southern College

Lakeland, FL 338015698
Florida Southeast
Private Small Developing team
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Kara Reber

Kara Reber is the only women’s lacrosse head coach that Florida Southern College has ever known, joining the program at its inception in 2012. In just 12 years, Reber has won an NCAA Division II national title (2016), twice finished as the national runner-up (2017 & 2018), national semifinalists (2023) and compiled an overall record of 184-38.


In this short time, Reber has thrust Florida Southern into women’s lacrosse royalty. In 2017, the Mocs won 18-straight games en route to the national title game. Florida Southern's path to the 2016 national championship concluded with a stunning come-from-behind win over No. 1 Adelphi in the title game. Reber's squad held the seven-time national champion Panthers without a goal in the first 17 minutes of the second half to rally back from a 6-3 halftime deficit.


In the process, the Mocs became the first team from outside the states of Massachusetts, New York or Pennsylvania to win an NCAA Division II women's lacrosse championship. Florida Southern finished the season on a 14-game winning streak, and Reber was tabbed as the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year by Inside Lacrosse and the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA).


During the 2019 campaign, Reber earned her 200th career victory as a head coach, as the Mocs defeated Tiffin, 17-4, on April 12, 2019. Florida Southern's success continued in 2019 as the Mocs had their fifth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. An exit in the second round after a double-overtime loss ended their 2019 season, as the COVID-19 pandemic set in to shorten their next two seasons. A full schedule of games in 2022 rejuvenated the Mocs, hungry for another opportunity at a title. The Mocs had a great season with tough competition, ending with another SSC Championship title. Selected to Reber's sixth NCAA tournament appearance with the Mocs led to a 19-6 rout of Wingate in the first round, before a close loss to No. 1 Queens ended their NCAA run.


In her 12 seasons at Florida Southern, Reber has led the Moccasins to a record of 116-18 at home and a 54-12 mark on the road. The Mocs are 38-6 in the nine seasons that the Sunshine State Conference has been sponsoring women's lacrosse (2015-2023). Florida Southern won or shared the regular season SSC title for six straight years, from 2015-2021, with no title awarded in the 2020 season due to COVID-19. Reber won the SSC Championship three years in a row from 2016-2018, with the title once again brought back to Lakeland in 2022.


During her time as the head coach of the Moccasins, Reber has coached 34 IWLCA all-Americans, including 21 IWLCA First-Team All-Americans. In addition to first-team All-America honors in 2013, former FSC goalie Katie Hammerer was also named the IWLCA Division II Goalie of the Year in 2013 and 2014. Emily Santoli was named the IWLCA Co-Midfielder of the Year in 2016, and the IWLCA Midfielder of the Year in 2017. She was also the 2017 Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year. In 2018, Meghan O’Brien earned Attacker of the Year in addition to being named the Division II Player of the Year. Most recently, in 2019, Sam Keesey earned Defender of the Year laurels, as freshman goalie Patricia Werker earned SSC Freshman of the Year honors. That same year, three players were selected to participate in the annual IWLCA North-South game: attacker Aubriana Benedetto, midfielder Dani Bursinger, and defender Sam Keesey. In 2023, Gina Verrone was named the IWLCA Defender of the Year, joining Keesey to have earned the honor.


Reber has also coached 45 All-SSC honorees, including two Freshman of the Year (Ashley Seborowski – 2015; Patricia Werker – 2019) and three Player's of the Year (Emily Santoli - 2017, Marina Jozokos - 2021, Jackie Stoller - 2023). Reber was named the SSC Coach of the Year in 2021 and 2022 consecutive seasons.


Her teams have also been highly successful off the field, as the Moccasins have been named as an IWLCA Team-All Academic Squad 11 times with a streak of eight straight going from 2012 to 2019. The Moccasins have been awarded the IWLCA Community Awareness Award twice (2012, 2015) and have had at least 15 players earn a spot on the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll each year since 2012. In 2023, 29 student-athletes were named to the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll.


Prior to being named the head coach at Florida Southern, Reber spent two seasons at St. Mary's College in Maryland, where she compiled a record of 21-14 and led the Seahawks to the Capital Athletic Conference semifinals in both seasons. At St. Mary's, Reber coached one all-American, seven all-region, and 11 all-conference players, including the CAC Player of the Year (2009) and Rookie of the Year (2010).


Reber's 2010 team at St. Mary's earned the NCAA Division III Community Service Award for their various community service projects.


Before her stint at St. Mary's, Reber spent five seasons as the head coach at Lycoming College in Pennsylvania, where she led the Warriors to an overall record of 47-34, including a pair of 14 win seasons in 2006 and 2007. She was named Middle Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year in 2006 after leading her team to a 14-4 record - nine more wins than the previous season. At Lycoming, Reber coached two all-America selections, 10 all-region, and 12 all-conference honorees.


She also saw her 2008 squad earn the NCAA Division III Community Service Award for raising more than 6,000 to benefit breast cancer research.


A 1999 graduate of Bowling Green State University, Reber was a two-sport athlete for the Falcons, playing both soccer and ice hockey. She holds a degree in sports management from BGSU, and a second bachelor's degree in physical education from SUNY Brockport. A native of Pittsford, NY, Reber began her coaching career at the high school ranks at Newark High School in Newark, NY.


Reber and her husband, Matthew, reside in Lakeland with their four daughters: Eve, Kylie, Kendall and Kenzie.

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Rachel Ortell

Rachel Ortell came from Mount Saint Mary’s University. During her time there she helped compiled a 14-3 record. She helped coach the team to a conference title for the first time in 16 years. Setting Mount Saint Mary's up with a first round match up against Duke University. In her time at Mount she coached the goalies to a conference goalie of the year award. Before arriving in Emmitsburg, Ortell spent a season as an Assistant Coach at NEC competitor, Merrimack College.


Before Merrimack, Ortell spent a year at a top ranked Division II program, University of Indianapolis, where she coached the goalie to a freshman and conference goalie of the year, as well as a regional goalie, finishing with over .500% save percentage.


She wrapped up her first season with the Greyhounds, helping lead UIndy to an 18-2 overall record and its second-straight NCAA Midwest regional berth.


Ortell mentored rookie netminder Cassidy King, who was named the GLIAC Goalkeeper of the Year and GLIAC Freshman of the Year after a tremendous spring season. King also earned IWLCA Second-Team All-Region accolades, the first goalie in UIndy history to do so. King ranked second in NCAA Division II in goals-against average (GAA), allowing just 6.10 opponent scores each appearance.


As a student-athlete at Lindenwood, Ortell was named an IWLCA third-team All-American her final two seasons. Named the RMAC Goalie of the Year and an all-region performer each of her four years.


Between the pipes, the Ellicott, Md. native racked up 59 career wins and made three straight trips to the NCAA Division II semifinals, and never missing an NCAA tournament. Ortell played nearly 3,500 minutes at Lindenwood, finishing with a career save percentage of .477 and 473 career saves. She recorded an 8.20 goals against average in 71 contests.


Ortell resides in Lakeland with her dogs, Rory and Roo.

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Marty Ward

Marty Ward has been a part of the Florida Southern men's lacrosse program for nearly its entire existence. He was named the head coach of the Moccasins in 2011 after spending one season as an assistant coach for Florida Southern.


Since Ward took the helm of the program, the Moccasins have posted an overall record of 105-85, and have been ranked in the USILA Top 20 numerous times. During his time at Florida Southern, the program has produced 10 USILA All-Americans and 71 all-conference selections.


In Ward's first three years, Florida Southern competed in the Deep South Conference and produced 22 all-conference honorees. Ward was named as the DSC Co-Coach of the Year in 2011 after leading the Mocs to the conference title game. FSC would make a repeat trip to the Deep South championship game in 2012.


Since the Moccasins began competing in the Sunshine State Conference in 2014, Florida Southern has produced 49 all-conference selections, including the 2015 SSC Player of the Year (Dane Sorensen), the 2014 SSC Co-Newcomer of the Year (Grant VanOverbeke) and the 2022 SSC Freshman of the Year (Matt Flammenspeck).


Ward has guided 10 Moccasins to USILA All-American honors including Jeff Atlas (third team - 2022), Craig Connor (third team – 2023), Kevin Horwitz (third team - 2022), Austen Lison (third team - 2017), DJ Lubs (honorable mention - 2013, 2014), Jay Minor (second team – 2023), Sean Nolan (honorable mention – 2023), Nick Shannon (honorable mention – 2023) and Dane Sorensen (third team - 2015).


Following the 2014 season, DJ Lubs became the first Moccasin to be selected to the USILA Division I/II Senior All-Star Game. Since Lubs’ selection, six other Moccasins have joined the list including Jeff Atlas (2022), Craig Connor (2023), Kevin Horwitz (2022), Matt Lalli (2017), Jay Minor (2023) and Sean Nolan (2023).


Ward's teams have also excelled in the classroom, with 35 players earning the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award for a total of 61 total selections. Jeff Atlas became the program’s first CoSIDA Academic All-American as well as the first CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 2022. Atlas was named a third team All-American while being named first team All-District. Atlas and teammate Craig Connor became the second and third Moccasins all-time to earn USILA Scholar All-American honors in 2022 joining Matt Lalli who first earned the honor in 2017. The Moccasins have also had more than 100 players named to the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll since Ward took over.


Prior to joining Florida Southern, Ward was a standout goalkeeper at Division II powerhouse Limestone College, where he helped lead the Saints to a record of 55-9 in his four years. Ward was a two-time team captain and three-time all-conference selection at Limestone.


In 2006, Ward was named the MVP of the Deep South Conference Tournament, was named an honorable mention all-American in 2005 and 2007, and earned the 2007 Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference Player of the Year Award.


During his time in goal for the Saints, Ward was a part of four teams that reached the NCAA Division II semifinals, including a pair of title game appearances (2004, 2005). After graduating from Limestone in 2008, Ward spent one season as a student-assistant coach with the Saints.


He spent the 2009 season as the head coach at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, S.C., where he led his squad to a region championship.


A member of the Cherokee Nation, Ward has also had success as a goalkeeper for the Iroquois Nationals team, helping the squad to a bronze medal at the 2014 World Lacrosse Championships. He was also the starting goalkeeper for the Iroquois Nationals team that finished fourth in 2006. He made the roster in 2010 as the team qualified for the global event, but did not participate.


He has also served as a coach for the Iroquois Nationals U-19 squad at the international level, leading the team to a bronze medal at the 2012 Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships.


Ward is currently the only Native American head coach in NCAA men's lacrosse, at any level.


In 2018, Ward became the first lacrosse player inducted into the Corcoran (N.Y.) High School Athletics Hall of Fame. He remains the school's all-time leader in saves, wins, and goals against average.


A true leader, Ward retains a national profile within the coaches association. He sits on three different national committees, including the Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMLCA) Convention Planning Committee, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Coaches Top 20 Poll, and the USILA All-American Committee.


Outside of the sport, Ward worked with the NativeVision program from 2013-16, a part of the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Heath. Sponsored by the National Football League (NFL), the program, one of the nation’s largest nutrition, obesity and diabetes prevention programs for American Indian children, features wellness initiatives at Native American communities in the American southwest.


A 2008 graduate of Limestone with a degree in history, Ward currently resides in Lakeland with his wife, Aricka, son, Ryker, and daughter, Sawyer.

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Matt Maccario

Matt Maccario joined the Florida Southern men's lacrosse coaching staff prior to the 2018 season. Maccario serves as both the recruiting coordinator and the defensive coordinator for the Moccasins.


In his five seasons on the sidelines, Maccario has helped guide 25 student-athletes to All-Sunshine State Conference honors along with six USILA All-Americans.


Maccario's defensive unit has ranked among the top programs in the nation since he came to Lakeland. Following the 2023 campaign, Florida Southern ranked second in NCAA Division II in caused turnovers per game (14.06), third in opponent clearing percentage (0.732), sixth in ground balls per game (40.0) and eighth in clearing percentage (0.884). In 2022, the Mocs ranked 10th in caused turnovers per game (10.78), 10th in ground balls per game (38.11), and 13th in clearing percentage (0.873). In 2019, the FSC defense ranked eighth in ground balls per game (40.63) and 10th in caused turnovers per game (10.50). In his first season with the Mocs (2018), the defense ranked ninth in caused turnovers per game (10.13) and 19th in ground balls per game (33.40).


Prior to FSC, Maccario spent three seasons as a graduate assistant coach at DeSales University in Pennsylvania. In three seasons at DeSales, Maccario served as the defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs, worked with the team's goalkeepers, and coached the Bulldogs' faceoff specialists. In 2017, DeSales finished 10th nationally in man-down defense (.830), 23rd in caused turnovers (11.0 ct/g) and 42nd in scoring defense (8.47).


During his time with the Bulldogs, Maccario helped coach 18 all-conference selections including the Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year (Frank Krug - 2017). Krug led NCAA Division III in caused turnovers in his last season (4.14. ct/g).


Prior to his stint at DeSales, Maccario spent one season (2014) as the defensive coordinator at Wheeling Jesuit, helping the Cardinals to a 10-3 record and a spot in the ECAC semifinals. Wheeling Jesuit finished with seven all-conference selections in 2014.


A former standout defender for the Cardinals, Maccario was a four-year starter and three-year captain at Wheeling Jesuit. He led all NCAA Division II players in caused turnovers in 2012 and earned all-conference honors twice.


A 2013 graduate of Wheeling Jesuit with a degree in business, Maccario earned his MBA from DeSales in 2016.

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