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Alex Kahoe
A five-time National Champion, three time All-American, and two-time NCAA Goalkeeper of the Year, Alex Kahoe enters her 10th season as the head coach of the Saint Joseph's women's lacrosse program in 2024.
At Saint Joseph's, Kahoe has coached 40 Atlantic 10 All-Conference selections, including the 2019 and 2021 Atlantic 10 Offensive Players of the Year and the 2023 and 2016 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, 13 Academic All-Conference selections, three IWLCA All-Region honorees and a Inside Lacrosse All-American Honorable Mention.
Kahoe became the first coach in program history to lead SJU to back-to-back postseason appearances, in 2016 and 2017, and has since led the Hawks to seven postseasons in a row, including the A-10 title and the programs first NCAA berth in 2022.
The Hawks continued success in 2023, the sixth-straight full season played in which St. Joe’s tallied double-digit wins. Despite key injuries, a young roster gelled into another top A-10 program, finishing 6-3 in conference play and 10-9 overall. The Hawks recorded just the fourth win in program history against a ranked team when defeating #18 Princeton on Sweeney Field. Under Kahoe, St. Joe’s provided another historical landmark after earning the first shutout in program history, dominating A-10 foe George Mason in a 19-0 victory. Kahoe’s tutelage saw Alexa Capozzoli earn Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year accolades, while Jorden Concordia’s 177 saves - third-most in program history - earned her First Team conference accolades along with Bonnie Yu, who led the team with 53 points. Capozzoli and Kate Fuhrman tallied 38 and 39 points, respectively, in their rookie seasons as Maddie Yoder led the Hawks with 40 goals, one of six Hawks with at least 24 goals.
Setting the new standard in 2022, the team under the direction of Kahoe produced unparalled success. Setting a new program record with 14 wins, Kahoe led the Hawks to the first Atlantic 10 Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. St. Joe’s defeat George Washington in the first round of the A-10 tournament before wins over #18 Richmond and #13 Massachusetts crowned the Crimson and Gray for its first ever A-10 title. The Hawks earned national plaudits, entering the rankings for the first time in school history – as high as #23 in the IWLCA poll and #19 in USA Lacrosse. Lauren Figura became the third-straight Hawk to earn Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors, scoring a program-record 72 goals. Jorden Concordia recorded the second-most saves in single-season history, while Riley Evans and Sophia Kolkka joined her with All-Conference Second Team honors.
After a 4-3 start in non-conference play was cut short in 2020, Kahoe led the team through an altered season in 2021 to a 10-7 record, including a 6-2 mark in the Atlantic 10. The season was highlighted with a win over #19 Richmond for the school’s first win over a ranked team in the Atlantic 10 semifinals, falling to UMass in the championship game. Stephanie Kelly earned A-10 Player of the Year honors, setting a record for most points (91) and assists (46) in a single season. Julia Pash and Bridget Cerciello joined Kelly on the All-Conference First Team while Lauren Figura, Sarah Platt and Melissa Semkiw earned Second Team honors.
Her 2019 squad, led by Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year Francesca Donato, posted 11 wins to reach double-digits for the third consecutive season. The Hawks placed fourth in the Atlantic 10 standings and won their quarterfinal game against VCU to reach the Atlantic 10 semifinals for the fourth consecutive season. Three Hawks – Donato, Sinead Brierley, and Bridget Cerciello – earned All-Conference First Team nods while Lauren Figura, Sophia Kolkka, and Sarah Platt were tabbed for the All-Rookie Team.
In 2018, one of the most historic seasons in Saint Joseph's women's lacrosse history, Kahoe guided the Hawks to a 12-7 overall record as SJU broke the record for wins in a season for the second year in a row. Saint Joseph's finished the A-10 regular season with a 7-2 record for the third consecutive year to finish third in the league, and Kahoe went on to lead the Hawks to an A-10 quarterfinal win over George Mason as the Hawks reached the A-10 semifinals for the third year in a row. Under Kahoe's direction, the Hawks landed spots on the A-10 First Team (1), A-10 Second Team (2), and A-10 Rookie Team (2) in a season in which SJU broke program records in points (389), goals (262), assists (127), and shots (618), all improvements on records broken the previous season.
Kahoe's Hawks won eight A-10 games between the regular season and postseason, matching the most single-season league wins in program history. In the midst of those eight wins, Kahoe led the Hawks to seven consecutive victories from April 8 through May 3, marking the longest winning streak in program history.
Kahoe directly worked with graduate student goalkeeper Liz O'Sullivan, who broke SJU's single-season program record for goalkeeper wins (12), and saw junior attacker Rebecca Lane break the career record for assists (73).
In 2017, Kahoe led the Hawks to an 11-7 overall record as the Hawks broke the then-program record for wins in a season. Saint Joseph's finished the A-10 regular season with a 7-2 record for the second year in a row to tie for second in the league and earn a first-round bye for the A-10 Championship. Kahoe coached six Hawks to 2017 All-Conference honors, including the First Team duo of attacker Nora McCallion and defender Kristen Kelbon.
Faced with adversity in the goalkeeper position, Kahoe worked directly with walk-on goalkeeper Amelia Deibler, and in her first season as a collegiate lacrosse goalkeeper, Deibler matched the then-program record for goalkeeper wins in a season, with 10.
In 2016, Kahoe guided the Hawks to a 9-10 overall record - the third-highest, single-season win total in program history at the time - alongside eight Atlantic 10 wins, the most single-season league wins in program history. In the midst of those eight A-10 wins, Kahoe led the Hawks to six consecutive victories from April 3 through April 22, marking the second longest winning streak in program history.
Picked to finish eighth in the 2016 A-10 preseason poll, SJU finished the regular season tied for second and earned the fourth seed for the program's first postseason appearance since 2009. With the Hawks' A-10 quarterfinal win over Davidson, SJU earned its second postseason win in program history, and first since 2009.
Kahoe was the only Division I coach in the nation to take a team that went winless (0-8) in regular-season league play in 2015 to a winning record (7-2) in regular-season league play in 2016; of the 10 Division I teams that went winless in their respective leagues in 2015, nine of those teams combined for six regular-season league wins in 2016; Saint Joseph's earned seven alone.
Kahoe coached five Hawks to 2016 All-Conference honors, including the 2016 A-10 Rookie of the Year, Rebecca Lane. Under Kahoe's direction, Lane became SJU's second A-10 Rookie of the Year in program history, while 2016 marked the first year since 2009 that the Hawks earned First Team recognition. Saint Joseph's three First Team picks and two Rookie Team selections matched program-best numbers in each category, while 2016 also marked the first year that three Hawks earned All-Academic honors in the same season.
In 2015, Kahoe coached the Crimson and Gray to a 5-11 overall record, including a 5-3 non-conference record for a .625 non-conference winning percentage. She earned her first collegiate win as a head coach with SJU's 13-12 triple-overtime victory over American on February 18.
The Hawks led the Atlantic 10 in draw controls per game (12.31) and ranked second in the A-10 and 10th nationally in caused turnovers per game (9.88) at the conclusion of the season.
Under Kahoe's direction, Nora McGeever set the program record for most saves in a game (22) while Aly Gormley earned A-10 All-Rookie Team accolades.
“We are pleased and fortunate to have Alex and her rich experience as a scholar-athlete, with six NCAA championship rings and extensive international service join the Hawk Hill community,” said former Director of Athletics Don DiJulia. “Our student-athletes will greatly benefit from her leadership and passion to enhance their experience as Everyday Champions.”
“I am incredibly excited about the vision and direction of the athletic department and the women's lacrosse program,” said Kahoe upon her appointment. “It is an exciting time to be a Hawk.
“SJU has tremendous resources academically, athletically, and geographically, in terms of both the university and the sport. I look forward to working with this team and leading them into a new era. I am excited to work with the student-athletes and to help guide them to being the best they can be on and off the field. I would like to thank Don DiJulia, Renie Shields, Jim Brown, and the search committee for giving me the opportunity to be the head women's lacrosse coach at St Joe's. I am extremely excited to be a part of the Saint Joseph's University family.”
Kahoe served as an assistant coach at five Division I programs over 13 seasons from 2000 to 2013. Kahoe helped guide those teams to seven NCAA Tournament quarterfinals, including four Final Four appearances, and the 2001 NCAA and ACC titles with the University of Maryland. Kahoe also coached four Tewaaraton Award winners and two members of the 2009 USA World Cup Championship team.
Kahoe spent the 2014 season as the head girls varsity lacrosse coach at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. At SCH, Kahoe also served as the project manager for the Center of Entrepreneurial Leadership where she researched, created, and implemented the new curriculum and programs associated with the center.
Prior to her stint at SCH, Kahoe simultaneously served as the assistant women's lacrosse coach for both the Canadian World Cup National Team and the University of Vermont squad from the fall of 2011 through the summer of 2013.
Kahoe coached the Canadian National Team to the 2013 World Cup silver medal, which marked the first time in Canadian women's lacrosse history that the program had defeated Australia and qualified for the championship game.
At Vermont, Kahoe helped guide the Catamounts to the 2013 America East Tournament and a triple-overtime win over then-#15 Dartmouth for the program's first win over the Big Green since 1993 and the first win over a nationally-ranked team since 2008.
Kahoe spent five seasons with Duke University between 2006-11 during which time the Blue Devils reached the NCAA Tournament all five seasons with three Final Four appearances. Duke took home three Tewaaraton Awards and landed 14 Blue Devils on the IWLCA All-America Team in those five seasons, while reaching the ACC Finals in 2009.
Kahoe also has a proven track record of success in the classroom. During her five seasons with the Blue Devils, Duke had 27 ACC All-Academic Team selections, three IWLCA Academic Team honors and 2008 IWLCA Merit Squad honors for boasting the third-highest team GPA in Division I women's lacrosse.
Serving as the associate head coach from 2005-06 and the assistant coach from 2003-05, Kahoe coached the University of Delaware to its first-ever CAA Tournament with an appearance in the 2005 semifinals. From 2002-03, Kahoe coached two IWLCA Mid-Atlantic All-America selections at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kahoe started her coaching career as an assistant at her alma mater, the University of Maryland, and in two seasons, she helped guide the Terrapins to the 2001 NCAA title.
She was the co-owner and director of Fuel Lacrosse and Sports, LLC for eight years, where she directed plans and oversaw lacrosse camps and clinics throughout the year.
A 2000 graduate of Maryland, Kahoe was a part of the teams that won five national championships and three ACC championships. A three-time All-American and ACC Goalie of the Year, and two-time NCAA Goalie of the Year, she also earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 1997. Kahoe was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame on October 3, 2014.
Kahoe was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary Team in 2002 and was selected to the NCAA 25th Anniversary All-Time Women's Lacrosse Team in 2005. Most recently, she was inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse National Hall of Fame, officially welcomed in on September 29, 2018.
She was a member of the USA National Lacrosse Team from 1997-2005 and was selected to the USA World Cup Lacrosse Team in 2003. Additionally, she competed for the Ireland World Cup Team that finished fifth in 2009.
Kahoe received a bachelor's of science double degree in criminal justice and sociology from Maryland in 2000 and a master's of business administration in sports management and marketing from Delaware in 2006.
She also served as an assistant coach of the Philadelphia Force, one of four teams of the inaugural United Women's Lacrosse League, in its inaugural season.
Kahoe has two daughters, Leighton and Mackinley.
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