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York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 17405
Pennsylvania Northeast
Private Small Developing team
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Jen Muston

Jen Muston just finished her 16th season as the head women’s lacrosse coach at York College of Pennsylvania as one of the top coaches in the region after leading York to a combined 45 wins in the last three seasons. Muston owns a sterling record of 208-83 in her 16 years as the Spartan mentor, while York has also gone 23-1 in their three years in the MAC Commonwealth with two championships.


The 2023 campaign was the best in school history as the Green and White won a school record 18 games as they earned a second MAC Commonwealth title and a tenth NCAA Tournament berth. The Spartans advanced to the Elite Eight before falling to national finalist Gettysburg. The Spartans placed eight players on the MAC All-Commonwealth teams as Muston was named the league's Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her Spartan career. Freshman Sydney Mentzer was named the MAC Commonwealth Rookie of the Year while Bella Garabo was selected as the Goalie of the Year. York had five players earn All-Region accolades while Garabo, Kiersten Blanchard and Emmy Bryden earned IWLCA All-American honors. Garabo was named the Division III Goalie of the Year.


In 2022, the Spartans went 15-6 and a perfect 8-0 in league play as they captured their first MAC Commonwealth title with a 12-7 win over Stevenson in the tournament championship game. York advanced to the second round of their ninth NCAA Tournament appearance. The Spartans placed eight players on the all-league team as Kiersten Blanchard was named the Commonwealth Attacker of the Year. Blanchard led four Spartans on the All-Region squad while she was joined on the IWLCA All-American team by Chloe MacDonald and Emmy Bryden.


2021 saw the Spartans return from COVID and go 12-3 with a MAC Commonwealth only schedule. The Green and White advanced to the Commonwealth Championship game where they fell to Messiah. York missed the tournament for the first time since 2011.


The 2020 campaign was cut short by the pandemic as York was 4-1 in the early going with one of Muston's best all-time teams. The Spartans returned almost their entire squad from the 2019 CAC Championship team.


The 2019 season proved to be one of the best in school history as York went a school-record 17-6 with their first-ever conference championship as York beat Salisbury 13-11, on the road in the title tilt. York won a pair of NCAA Tournament games before Tufts ended York's season in the national quarterfinals. York placed seven players on the All-CAC teams highlighted by five first team members. Nicole Clauter earned the CAC Player of the Year award for the second time in her Spartan career. She was joined on the All-Region squad by Regan Cook, Meghan Fox, Devin Hursey and Claudia DeVenti. Clauter earned the IWLCA Defender of the Year and earned her third first-team IWLCA All-American award. Cook, Fox, and Hursey joined Clauter on the All-American squad. The four All-Americans is a school-record.


In 2018, the Spartans had another successful campaign going 15-5 overall and 7-1 in conference play. The Spartans were able to make it to the CAC semi-final match where they fell in a heart breaking fashion to Mary Washington, however York still earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Spartans took advantage of this opportunity by making it to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season. They opened up the tournament with a 10-3 victory of Washington & Lee in the second round. They followed that up with an impressive performance in a 13-6 win over Catholic. York fell to the eventual national runner-up Middlebury 11-10 in the Elite Eight to end their run. The Green and White produced three All-Americans and six All-CAC performers.


In 2017, the Spartans topped the previous school record with 16 wins, going 16-4, along with a perfect conference slate, finishing 8-0. In the regular season, York took down Salisbury for the first time in school history 10-6, after losing the previous 17 tries, in a matchup of two top-11 teams in the nation. The Sea Gulls took the rematch in the CAC Championship, but York earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the sixth straight year, where they won multiple games to reach the Elite Eight. In a pair of close gams, the Green and White defeated St. John Fisher 5-4 in the second round, before out-lasting Messiah in the Sweet 16 8-7 in an overtime battle. The incredible run came to an end at Trinity (Conn.) in the Elite Eight.


York, for the fifth consecutive season, reached the NCAA Tournament in 2016, going 12-7 overall and 5-3 in CAC play. Right in the thick of conference play, the Spartans ripped off six straight wins, including a first-round victory over Christopher Newport in the CAC Tournament. The Spartans eventually fell in the conference semifinals to Salisbury, in a heart-breaking 8-7 final, and then to Amherst on the road in the NCAA Tournament second round. Megan Strauch was named an IWLCA All-American for the second season, while four were named to the All-CAC team and three to the All-Region squad.


The 2015 edition of the Spartan squad was the best year in school history, before 2017, as York advanced to the Elite Eight before falling 10-8 to Middlebury. The Spartans went 15-6 overall and 7-1 in the CAC as they advanced to the CAC championship game for the fourth straight year. The Spartans also earned their four straight NCAA Tournament berth. The year was one of firsts as defender Karlie Dougherty earned the Spartans' first ever women's lacrosse CAC Player of the Year Award. She also earned York's first first-team All-American while she also earned the IWLCA Defender of the Year. Dougherty and Strauch earned All-American accolades for the Spartans while five players earned All-CAC accolades.


The 2014 squad posted 15 wins and a third straight trip to the CAC championship game and NCAA Tournament. The Green and White picked up an NCAA Tournament win over St. John Fisher as York advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year. York had five players earn All-CAC honors while four Spartans earned IWLCA all-region accolades. Erica Mulford and Ashley Smith were selected as IWLCA All-Americans.


Muston led the 2013 Spartan squad to a fantastic year as the Spartans tied the school record with 14 wins, earned a second at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, and earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament win. The Spartans advanced to the Capital Athletic Conference tournament championship for the second straight year and defeated Washington & Lee 13-6 on May 8 for the program’s initial NCAA win. Muston guided a pair of All-Americans as Kim Wayson and Katie Vautier earned the IWLCA national honor.


Muston led the 2012 Spartan squad to one of the best campaigns in school history. The Green and White won a school-record 14 matches and earned the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. For her efforts, Muston was named the Capital Athletic Conference Coach-of-the-Year for the second consecutive year while she was also selected as the IWLCA Metro Region Coach-of-the-Year. The Spartans made their first appearance in the Capital Athletic Conference championship game after going 7-1 in the conference during the regular season.


In 2011, the sixth season of York's varsity women's lacrosse program, the Green and White posted an impressive 13-4 mark and reached the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals. For that effort, she was named the CAC Coach-of-the-Year by her conference peers.


Since Muston's arrival prior to the 2008 season, York has posted a 208-83 mark including ten-plus wins in 15 of her 16 Spartan seasons. For her career, Muston has coached 80 of York's 83 All-Conference players. She is also responsible for recruiting and coaching 54 of York's 57 All-Region selections in addition to leading Kim Wayson to the program's first-ever IWLCA All-American award. Wayson was a the first of York's 16 players to have earned 24 IWLCA All-American honors.


Guided by Muston, the Spartan program has continued to become a force on the regional and national level. A tireless recruiter and dedicated teacher of the game, Muston is steadily building a program that has made an impact in both the region and on the national scene. York finished the 2022 season ranked sixth in the nation. The Spartans have been consistently inside the top 15 for the last ten seasons.


Prior to York, Muston served as an assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Goucher College for two seasons. She earned her master’s degree in education from Goucher as she was a Gopher from 2006 to 2007. Muston was responsible for assisting the head coach in all of the day-to-day aspects of running the Division III program. She assisted in planning practice, game strategies, student-athlete recruitment, scouting opponents, and game-tape breakdown.


Muston began her coaching career at the University of Maryland Baltimore County as she was an assistant coach in the spring of 2005. That coaching stint followed a stellar four-year career for the Retrievers. Muston was a four-year starter at UMBC and was a captain during her senior year. At the time of her graduation, Muston held the UMBC career assists record with 63 helpers while her 123 goals ranked her seventh on the Retrievers’ all-time list. She ended her career fifth on UMBC’s career points list with 186. A three-time first-team All-Northeast Conference selection, Muston was also the 2002 NEC tournament MVP and the 2003 conference Player-of-the-Year. She was named UMBC’s outstanding female athlete for the 2003-04 academic year. For those efforts, Muston was inducted into the UMBC Athletic Hall of Fame in the winter of 2012.

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Ashley Fitzhugh

Ashley Fitzhugh concluded her 16th season on Jen Muston's staff with the 2022-23 season.. Fitzhugh focuses mainly on the defensive aspect of the game. She took over the top assistant’s role in 2008 as she helps continue the program’s steady improvement.


Fitzhugh was a four-year starter for the University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she played under her maiden name of Staines, graduating from UMBC with a degree in psychology. From 1998-2002, she helped the Retrievers to a 44-25 record, three Northeast Conference Championships, and the program’s first-ever NCAA Division I Top-20 ranking.


She was twice named the NEC Player-of-the-Week during her career and was selected as the 2000 NEC tournament MVP. Fitzhugh currently holds the league’s tournament record for goals scored in a game and in the tournament. She led the Retrievers with 43 goals scored in 2000 and was a two-time All-NEC first-team choice in 2000 and 2001.


She resides in Timonium, Maryland with her children Stella, Logan and Kellan.

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Kayleigh Phillips

Kayleigh Phillips joined the Spartan coaching staff for the 2023 season and is responsible for working with the draw team.


Phillips was a three-year member of the Spartan women's lacrosse program form 2016-18 after starting her career at Division I Bryant. As a Spartan, Phillips played in 56 games with 51 starts, amassing 63 points on 55 goals and eight assists, while also collecting 165 draw controls. She ranked top-five in program history in draw controls at the completion of her career and played a big role in helping the Spartans set a then single-season team record with 292 draw controls in 2018.

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Nicole Clauter

Nicky Clauter completed her second full year on the Spartan staff at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign. She is responsible for coaching the draw unit and works alongside renowned assistant coach Ashley Fitzhugh with the defense.


Clauter returns to her alma mater after a two-year graduate assistantship with the Millersville women’s lacrosse program. While at Millersville, she coached the defense and served as the program’s recruiting coordinator. Clauter earned her Masters of Education in sport management with a concentration in athletic coaching from Millersvielle in May of 2021. She earned her Bachelors of Science in sport management from York in the spring of 2019.


During her four-year playing career with the Spartans, Clauter was instrumental in taking the program to new heights, most notably capturing the program’s first-ever conference title in 2019 when No. 8 York defeated No. 6 Salisbury, 13-11, in the Capital Athletic Conference title game. The Spartans also made four-straight NCAA postseason appearances during Clauter’s playing tenure with trips to the national quarterfinals in her last three seasons. York compiled a record of 60-22 (.732 win pct.) during Clauter’s four years and set the program’s single-season wins record with 17 in 2019.


Clauter reigns as the most decorated player in York women’s lacrosse history and one of the most accomplished student-athletes in York College history. She holds the distinction of being the only three-time IWLCA All-American (earning first team honors all three years), the only two-time conference major award winner and the only four-time all-conference honoree in York women’s lacrosse history.


As a senior, Clauter was named the Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year for the second time in her career and went on to be named the IWLCA National Defender of the Year that same season. Clauter was also named the Capital Athletic Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, which recognized the top female senior student-athlete in the entire conference, and also earned the Georgia Heathcote Stallman Award as York College’s most outstanding senior female student-athlete. Clauter was also York’s NCAA Woman of the Year nominee in 2019.


Clauter’s name is all over the Spartan record book. At the end of her career, she ranked first in career draw controls (332), draw controls per game (4.04), fourth in caused turnovers (90) and fifth in ground balls (138), while also ranking first in games played (83) and games started (83). She set the program’s single season-season draw control record with 116 in 2019 and established the single-game record with 14 draws on April 18, 2018 in a win at St. Mary's. She also had career-highs of five ground balls on five different occasions and three caused turnovers in 12 games.


"Nicky was a total game-changer when she was a player and she has the ability to do that as a coach for us," said Muston. "Her knowledge of the game and the ability to instruct is going to be a huge advantage for our players. I am very excited to have her back as a Spartan."

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Brandon Childs

York College York College head coach Brandon Childs is heading into his thirteenth year at the helm of the Spartan men's lacrosse program.


In Childs’ 12 years at York, the Spartans have a record of 176-51 and a .796 win percentage. The Green and White has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 8 times, including the school’s first trip to the “Final Four” in 2022. The Spartans advanced all the way to the National Quarterfinals four out of the last six years. Childs has been named the CAC / MAC Coach of the Year six times and in 2018 he was honored with The Francis L “Babe” Krauss National Division III Coach of The Year.


While at York, Coach Childs has coached 62 USILA All-Americans, 29 USILA Scholar All-Americans, 16 North/South All-stars, and four national position players of the year.


In 2023, Childs led the Green and White to their third consecutive MAC Commonwealth Championship. The Spartans advanced to the NCAA “Sweet 16” as it was their seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Childs surpassed the 200 win milestone when the Spartans beat rival Stevenson University 13-6 on April 26. Coach Childs’ career record now sits at 204-70. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Childs was named the MAC Commonwealth Coach of The Year for the sixth time.


In 2022, Childs led the Green and White to the best season in program history as they advanced all the way to the NCAA Semifinals. The team captured its second consecutive MAC Commonwealth Championship defeating rival Stevenson University. The Spartans finished the season ranked #3 in the USILA polls. The program had 10 USILA All-Americans and three USILA Scholar All-Americans at the conclusion of the 2022 season.


In 2021, Childs led the Spartans to the MAC Commonwealth championship by defeating 6th-ranked Stevenson University, 11-0, and earned a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third consecutive year. The team finished the season 16-2 and ranked 4th in the final USILA poll. At season’s end, the Spartans had a school-record 9 USILA All-Americans and 3 USILA Scholar All-Americans. Senior Tyler Nation was named the National Long Stick Midfielder of The Year and Senior Ryan Kennedy was named the National Defender of The Year. This marked the first time in the history of the program that the Green and White had two positional players of the year in the same season.


In 2020, The Spartans started the year ranked pre-season #6 in the USILA polls but the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


In 2019, Childs led the Spartans to a CAC regular season championship and earned a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. The team’s win / loss record of 19-3 tied the school record for wins in a season. The Spartans entered the pre-season ranked 5th in the national polls and spent the entire season ranked in the nation’s top 5. The 2019 campaign saw victories over then #1 Salisbury and the eventual national champions Cabrini. At season’s end, the Spartans had a school record 8 USILA All-Americans and six USILA Scholar All-Americans, which tied them with Cornell for most among all three divisions of collegiate lacrosse.


In 2018, Childs led the Spartans to one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history going 19-3 and earning a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second time. The Green and White were crowned CAC regular season champions after going a perfect 8-0 in conference play. In addition to being the Division III National Coach of the Year, Childs was awarded the CAC Coach of Year award.


The 2018 Spartans saw four seniors earn USILA Academic All-Amercian honors, seven USILA All-Americans, and nine All-CAC selections. Childs led the Spartans to a final ranking of #2 in the nation in the last USILA poll. Known for his offensive play calling and systems, Childs' 2018 squad ranked #3 in the nation in defensive efficiency while ranking sixth in offensive efficiency. This balanced approach landed the Spartans 8th nationally in scoring margin for the 2018 season. The Spartans also ranked in the top 10 nationally in winning percentage, shooting percentage, clearing percentage, assists, and ground balls. Off the field, the Spartans excelled in the classroom under Childs’ watch as well, as they set a new program best 3.34 GPA in 2018. The team was led by senior Ryan Cook who graduated in May earning the DeMeester Award for the highest GPA of any senior male athlete at York.


In 2017, Childs led the Spartans to a 17-4 season as York earned its third trip in four years to the NCAA Tournament. At the conclusion of the season, Childs was named the CAC Coach of the year. The 2017 season also saw a first for the program when senior Conrad Ordakowski became the program’s first positional player of the year, as he was named the country’s top short-stick defender.


In 2016, Childs led the Spartans to a school-record 18 wins as York earned its first Capital Athletic Conference Championship defeating top-ranked Salisbury. The Spartans made their second appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and went all the way to the “Elite Eight” falling in overtime to Gettysburg College in the national quarterfinals.


In 2014, the Spartans advanced to the round of 16 in their first year in the tournament. For his efforts in 2014, Childs was named CAC Coach of the year and was one of five finalists for the USILA National Coach of The Year.


Childs is the winningest coach in York men's lacrosse history and is one of the fastest coaches in the country to reach the 200 career win milestone.


Childs, the fourth coach in program history, has had a strong run of success during his coaching career. While at Eastern University, he posted an overall record of 28-19 including a 23-9 mark in conference play. Childs led the Eagles to a trio of MAC tournament appearances.


Prior to taking over the Eastern program, Childs was a three-year assistant at Dickinson College where he directed the Red Devil offense. Dickinson went 27-16 over his three years in Carlisle.


Childs began his coaching career after a stellar four-year tenure as a player at Lynchburg College. He concluded his career with 193 points on 91 goals and 102 assists. His 102 assists stood as a school record for Lynchburg until the 2016 season. He was a USILA All-American as a junior and again as a senior while he was also a Scholar All-American as a senior. Childs was a three-time ODAC All-Conference player for the Hornets and in the fall of 2016, he was inducted into the Lynchburg College Athletic Hall of Fame.


At the conclusion of his playing career, Childs served as an assistant coach for the Hornet program as he pursued his Masters' Degree in Educational Leadership. He completed his advanced degree in May of 2008.


Childs is happy with the state of the Spartan program heading into year thirteen.


"I believe we are building a sustained level of excellence," states Childs. "We have continued to develop the culture and the expectations for our players. We will outwork our opponents, playing a fast paced style of lacrosse, working incredibly hard in the classroom, and most importantly the York Lacrosse team will be built upon men with the highest level of character. As we continue to do this, the wins take care of themselves."


Childs believes the trademarks of his team come into sharper focus each year.


"We have three core beliefs here at York. More specifically when people watch the York College Lacrosse team play they will be able to identify these core beliefs by the words which drive our culture; serving others, working hard and staying humble.”


Childs resides in York with his wife, Annie, and his children, Ellie (13), Will (11), Abel (10) and Jude (6).

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