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Harvard University

Cambridge, MA 02138
Massachusetts Northeast
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Devon Wills

One of the sport's all-time greatest players and former Ivy League standout Devon Wills was named The Carole Kleinfelder Head Coach for Harvard Women's Lacrosse, Bob Scalise, The John D. Nichols '53 Family Director of Athletics, announced in August 2018.


"We are thrilled to welcome Devon as our new head women's lacrosse coach," Scalise said. "Devon is widely known as an outstanding coach and mentor, and she returns to the Ivy League after making a tremendous impact at USC. One of the greats in the history of women's lacrosse, Devon brings a winning pedigree to Cambridge and we look forward to her continued success here at Harvard."


"It is a privilege to be named The Carole Kleinfelder Head Coach for Harvard Women's Lacrosse, and I am very grateful for this opportunity," Wills said. "Harvard provides its student-athletes with an unparalleled college experience, combining rigorous academics with nationally competitive athletic opportunities. I am excited to return to Ivy League competition and am committed to building a strong program that will contribute to the championship history of Harvard women's lacrosse. I am confident that we can create an energetic, positive, and successful experience for our student-athletes."


Wills arrives in Cambridge after a six-year coaching stint at USC, serving as associate head coach over the past three seasons, where she worked specifically with the Trojan defense and goaltenders. She was a three-time All-American goalie at Dartmouth, leading the NCAA in goals-against average and helped the Big Green advance to the NCAA championship game in 2006.


"I would like to thank Harvard Athletic Director, Bob Scalise, and Assistant Athletic Director, Caitlyn Prandato, for providing me with this opportunity," Wills said. "I would like to thank the USC Head Coach Lindsey Munday and Assistant Athletic Director Brendan Loftus for supporting me in this decision. Lastly, I would specifically like to thank the current and former Trojan Women's Lacrosse players for making me a better coach and person throughout the last seven seasons."


Wills previously served three seasons (2013-15) as an assistant coach, defensive coordinator, and recruiting coordinator for USC. Before her arrival, Wills was an assistant at Denver for two years (2010-11), a volunteer assistant in 2010 and a full-time assistant in 2011. Wills also served as an assistant for two years (2007-08) at her alma mater Dartmouth.


In Wills' first season as associate head coach, the Trojans set new Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) records with 20 wins and an incredible 20-game winning streak. USC won both the MPSF's regular-season and tournament titles and then became the first-ever West Coast team to host an NCAA tournament game. USC's appearance in the NCAA quarterfinal and finish at No. 5 in the final IWLCA poll were also MPSF records. Wills' direction helped the program post the NCAA's top defense (5.80 GAA), which showcased the national leader in goals-against average: Gussie Johns (6.04 GAA).


Widely regarded as one of the world's elite goalies, Wills was a goalie for the U.S. national team from 2007-17. She helped the U.S. win the 2009 FIL World Cup and was named the Player of the Match in the team's 8-7 victory over Australia in the championship game. Wills returned as a member of the U.S. squad in 2013 and 2017 that claimed record seventh and eighth world championship titles.


On April 13, 2016, Wills was a part of history as the second overall pick in the first-ever United Women's Lacrosse League draft. She was chosen by the Long Island Sound franchise and led her team to the inaugural UWLX Championship. In her first season, she went 6-1, posted an 8.29 goals-against average, and was named a UWLX All-Star. She had eight saves in the championship game to help the Sound defeat the Boston Storm, 13-8, and was named the title game's Most Valuable Player.


While she was at Denver, the Pioneers went 13-5 overall in 2010 with a 6-0 record in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Denver advanced to the MPSF Tournament final and finished with the No. 20 national ranking. In 2011, the Pioneers were one of the top teams in the MPSF and advanced to the tournament semifinal.


As a player, Wills was a four-time (2003-06) All-Ivy League performer with three selections to the first team. She was also a three-time IWLCA All-America second-team honoree (2004-06). As a team captain in 2006, she led the NCAA in goals-against average and helped the Big Green advance to the NCAA championship game. In 2003, she was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year and earned All-Ivy League second-team notice. She finished her career in second on Dartmouth's all-time saves list (538) and had a 7.14 career goals-against average. With Wills in the net, Dartmouth made appearances in the NCAA quarterfinals in 2003 and 2004, and advanced to the national semifinals in 2005.


A native of Denver, Wills is a two-time recipient of the Women's Lacrosse Award from the Sportswomen of Colorado (2006 and 2009).


Wills received a bachelor's degree in sociology from Dartmouth in 2006.

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Becca Block

Devon Wills, The Carole Kleinfelder Head Coach for Harvard Women’s Lacrosse, announced the addition of Becca Block to the Crimson coaching staff in 2018.


“Becca is a tremendous coach and I am so excited to welcome her to the Harvard Lacrosse Staff,” Wills said. “I have had the privilege of playing with and coaching against Becca for several years, and her passion for the game is contagious to the people around her. Becca is a smart and calculated coach who is eager to make those around her better. I am excited to learn from and to work alongside Becca as we look to compete for Ivy Championships.”


In her two years at Oregon, Block helped Oregon’s defense improve each year. Block was instrumental in constructing a defensive unit that allowed 11.83 goals per game in 2018, down from 12 goals per game in 2017, when Oregon’s defense was 32nd in the nation with 10.18 caused turnovers per game.


Block arrived in Eugene after spending 2016 as an assistant at Florida, where she helped guide a Gator defense that finished the season 12th in the nation in scoring defense at 7.45 goals per game. Block began her coaching career at Vermont in 2014, and spent 2015 as an assistant at Michigan before heading to Gainesville.


As a player, Block is one of the premier defenders in women’s lacrosse. She has played six years with the U.S. National Team after first making the team in 2012, and was the 2013 IWLCA Defender of the Year and an All-American as a senior at Syracuse. During her four-year college career, Block helped lead the Orange to the national title game in 2012 and a Final Four berth in 2010, while Big East All-Academic honors twice.


Block has played professionally for the Long Island Sound in the United Women’s Lacrosse League. Block also played with Wills on the U.S. national team, winning the 2017 U.S. Women’s World Cup and World Games.


In addition to Block’s collegiate playing and coaching experience, she was also a coach and counselor for the Syracuse University Elite Lacrosse Camps and helped organize and run the Laxfest Lacrosse Tournament in Syracuse, N.Y., from 2010-15.


Block graduated from Syracuse in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science.

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Kiley Anderson

Kiley Anderson, an accomplished player and coach with many ties to New England, joined the Harvard women's lacrosse coaching staff in 2022.


A native of Killingsworth, Conn., Anderson was a standout student-athlete at UMass-Amherst and Boston College and continued her success in lacrosse as a coach at Yale and UConn.


Over the last two seasons with UConn, Anderson helped the Huskies record two of their most successful seasons in program history, as the team made back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever.


Coaching the UConn offense, Anderson oversaw a Huskies attack that finished 11th in the nation in scoring in 2022 (15.72 goals per game). That attack included senior Sydney Watson (58 goals, 23 assists), who was named an IWLCA All-American. Anderson also guided the Huskies to new team records in goals scored (283), points (397), shots (598) and draw controls (316). UConn finished the year at 13-5 overall with a 3-2 mark in Big East play. In 2021, UConn made its second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after going 12-7 overall and 7-3 in conference play. Watson became the first player in program history to be named an IWLCA First Team All-American.


Anderson arrived at UConn after spending a year as a volunteer assistant coach at Yale University. She assisted in planning and conducting skill specific individual lessons with players and worked with drawers and circle players to improve their specific skills.


Prior to her time at Yale, she was a coach at the Nor’easter Premiere Lacrosse Club, Nor’easter Next, and UMass Amherst and Yale lacrosse camps. Anderson also helped as a coach at the Northwestern and Salve Regina Nor’easter lacrosse camps.


A former IWLCA First Team All-Northeast Region and Atlantic 10 First Team All-Conference selection, Anderson had a successful playing career at UMass-Amherst and Boston College. She served as captain for the Minutewomen during the 2019 season and holds the record for most goals in a single game (9) in program history. Anderson is also second all-time in career draw controls (208) and tied for most goals in a single season (67). She was also selected to the Atlantic 10 All Championship Team in 2017 and 2019. She finished seventh nationally in goals per game (3.94) while helping the Minutewomen rank No. 1 nationally in draw controls per game (19.11) and No. 2 nationally in scoring offense (17.47 goals per game).


Anderson graduated UMass-Amherst with a B.A. in sociology in May 2019. She attended Haddam-Killingworth High School and was an honorable mention US Lacrosse All-American and a US Lacrosse Academic All-American.

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Gerry Byrne

Gerry Byrne became Harvard's 18th head coach in program history when he was named The Frisbie Family Head Coach for Harvard Men's Lacrosse on July 1, 2019, and enters his fifth season in 2024.


The Crimson secured five wins, including a massive upset win over the No. 4 Cornell Big Red during the 2023 season in Byrne's fourth season. Byrne coached up a defensive unit that finished among the best in the nation in a number of different categories. Under Byrne's mentorship, Harvard had the third-best ride in the nation, holding teams to a .789 clearing percentage. Additionally, the defense finished fourth in the nation with 10.5 caused turnovers per game while the man-down defense allowed only nine goals all season, and finished as the best man-down unit in the Ivy League. Byrne also coached five players who earned All-Ivy honors and two players who landed on All-New England teams after strong seasons in 2023.


Byrne's third year of leadership brought great success for the Crimson. For the first time since 2014, Harvard earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament. En route to its postseason success, Byrne led the Crimson to an 8-5 overall record and 3-3 Ivy League mark. Of those eight victories, four were over ranked opponents. Harvard had a consistent presence in the national rankings, reaching its highest ranking of the season at No. 10. Byrne coached five All-Ivy League selections and three All-NEILA honorees, including Greg Campisi who was named an All-American by USILA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse Magazine. Under Byrne's leadership, Harvard concluded the season ranked third in the nation in caused turnovers per game (10.08), 18th in groundballs per game (33.62) and 32nd in points per game (19.54).


The Ivy League/Harvard canceled the entire 2021 season due to COVID-19. Three of Byrne's recruits from the Class of 2024 were named to Inside Lacrosse's Power 100 Incoming Freshmen Rankings list.


In his first year at the helm, Byrne led the Crimson to a 2-2 overall record before the Ivy League/Harvard canceled the remainder of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Byrne coached six USILA Scholar All-America honorees and recorded one win over a ranked opponent with a 10-9 victory over No. 19 UMass in its season opener. Byrne’s leadership drastically improved the Harvard defense in 2020, which saw Harvard’s goals against average (GAA) improve from 14.78 to 11.25 GAA, moving from 71st in Division I to 37th. Under Byrne’s tutelage, Harvard’s man down defense improved from 41st in the nation, to fourth, giving up just one goal in four games.


Byrne arrived in Cambridge from Notre Dame where he was an assistant coach for 16 seasons, covering two stints. His first stop in South Bend, Indiana, was from 1989-91, before returning in 2007. In between, Byrne served as head coach at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, from 2003-06.


Byrne helped the Fighting Irish to 14 NCAA tournament appearances (including 13 straight), 11 conference titles (regular season and tournament), and an overall record of 170-78 (.685). More impressive was the impact Notre Dame, which earned one of eight national seeds in 11 of the last 12 years, had once in the NCAA field as it reached the quarterfinal round or later on 10 different occasions, twice earning a spot in the finals (2010, 2014).


Over his final 13 seasons at Notre Dame, Byrne helped tutor 62 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-Americans, with 15 of those selections earning first-team honors, and 13 USILA Scholar All-Americans. During Byrne's tenure, UND was also awarded the USILA Kelly Award (most outstanding goalie in NCAA Division I) twice and the USILA Schmeisser Award (top defensive player) three times.


Byrne's work did not go unnoticed as he was named the 2011 Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches Association National Assistant Coach of the Year and was on the top coaching staff at the conference level three times, winning the coaching-staff-of-the-year award in the Great Western Lacrosse League twice (2007, 2009) and once in the Big EAST (2012).


Under Byrne's watch, Notre Dame was one of the top defensive teams in the country. The Fighting Irish finished among the top five nationally in scoring defense seven times in the last 13 seasons, producing the nation's stingiest group in 2009 and 2012. The 2012 club also boasted the best man-down defense in Division I. In his final season in South Bend, Notre Dame finished the 2019 campaign ranked 14th in scoring defense and ninth in clearing percentage.


Additionally, Byrne helped the Fighting Irish hold its opponents to seven goals or fewer in 50.2 percent of their games (103-of-205) since the start of the 2007 campaign and limited its foes to four goals or less on 19 occasions.


While at Saint Anselm College, Byrne guided the Hawks to 16 victories with the 2005 squad setting the program record for lowest GAA, face-off winning percentage and ground balls in a season.


Byrne played lacrosse collegiately at UMass Amherst, graduating cum laude in 1986, with a degree in economics. A two-year starter and an All-New England defenseman as a senior, Byrne helped the Minutemen to the 1986 NCAA quarterfinals.


From Amherst, Byrne went on to enjoy a successful playing career. He was a four-time All-United States Club Lacrosse Association member and invited to the U.S. National Team tryouts three times (1989, 1997, 2001). Byrne, who earned his master's degree from Notre Dame, also collected All-Lake Placid Classic honors 11 times and was a nine-time All-Vail Shootout performer.


In 1991, he was drafted by the New York Saints of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) and played for the franchise in 1992. Byrne was later selected by the Rochester Knighthawks of the NLL and helped them to the 1997 championship. Three years later, Byrne came out of retirement after the Boston Cannons drafted him and ultimately led the team to consecutive MLL Final Four appearances.


Byrne in 1999 was inducted into the New England Chapter of the United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame and was named the 2001 New Hampshire High School Coach of the Year while directing Souhegan High School.


Outside of lacrosse, Byrne made his presence felt in other aspects of athletics, serving as managing director at Kiltegan Marketing Group, which is an integrated sports marketing services company. He was also the director of marketing at Cybex International and Brine, a major manufacturer of lacrosse equipment. He additionally owns the Premier Players Lacrosse Camps and founded the Texas Top-99.


A native of Levittown, New York, Byrne was an All-Long Island Catholic League lacrosse player at Chaminade High. He is married to Dr. Tracy Byrne and the couple has three children, Rory, Pierre and Brandon.

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