Coaches

Gail Wallach

Gail Wallach was named the first-ever head coach of the Anderson University women's lacrosse team on July 8, 2021.


“We are so excited to welcome Gail and her family to the Trojan Family,” said Vice President for Athletics, Dr. Bert Epting, Jr. “She has tremendous experience in building a program, recruiting at a high level, and leading young women, all while integrating Christ into all she does. She truly exemplifies a Christ-centered approach to sport and we are blessed to be able to name her as the first women’s lacrosse head coach at Anderson University. Go Trojans!”

Wallach, who spent the previous six seasons at the helm of the Alabama Huntsville program, took the reins of AU’s brand-new program that began competition in 2023. The initial year was spent recruiting student-athletes as well as preparing a schedule and gathering equipment needed to run the program.


It didn’t take long for Wallach and the Trojans to get noticed around the region, as well as on the national scene, as Wallach guided the first-year program to a 9-8 overall record and a seventh-place finish in the in the South Atlantic Conference with a 4-6 mark. The Trojans were in the hunt for a SAC Championship berth until the final game of the regular season and posted a stellar 7-3 home record.


She mentored three players who captured All-SAC accolades, with midfielder Alicia Cannon taking the league by storm and earning SAC Freshman of the Year honors. The native of Tarzana, Calif., was also named First-Team All-SAC after leading the conference in draw controls (145), ranking third in goals (60) and third in free position shots-goals (18-35). She tied for second in points (84), second in the SAC in shots with 136, and second in shots on goal with 101.


Cannon was named SAC Offensive Player of the Week three times during the 2023 season and ranked in the top 10 nationally in game-high draw controls with 17 (tied 8th) and draw controls per game (4th) with 8.75.


A native of Oviedo, Fla., Hannah Thomas, earned a spot on the All-SAC Second Team after being named the SAC statistical champion for goals per game with 72. Thomas also led in shots (89) and free position goals-shots (23-61). Thomas ranked fifth nationally in NCAA DII in goals per game (4.24), second in shots per game (10.06), and second in shots on goal per game (6.82).

A freshman defender from Memphis, Tenn., Jackie Tiongco, earned All-SAC Third Team honors. She finished the season with 28 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers.


As a team, the Trojans ranked second in the SAC in clears and finished ninth nationally in NCAA DII in clears with an .874 percentage.


Wallach also started the Alabama Huntsville women’s lacrosse program from scratch and built the Chargers into a presence in the Gulf South Conference and throughout the region. Under her guidance, the Chargers were 74-22 (.771) over her six seasons and posted a stellar 7-3 record in the GSC Tournament, while making an appearance in the tournament championship tilt in all five seasons (there was no GSC Tournament in 2020 due to Covid).


UAH claimed the league’s regular season title in 2017 and won back-to-back GSC Tournament Championships in 2019 and 2021.


In her time with the Chargers, Wallach coached one Alabama Sports Writers Association Small College Athlete of the Year, three Gulf South Players of the Year, a trio of GSC Freshmen of the Year, a GSC Defensive Player of the Year, one GSC Top Ten Award winner and 22 All-GSC performers as well as leading the nation in team scoring in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Wallach and the Chargers posted a program-best 16-3 record in 2019, with UAH claiming the program's first-ever GSC Championship.


Wallach previously served a brief two-year stint as the head coach at Emmanuel College and posted a 9-10 mark with the Lions, while coaching one All-American and four all-conference honorees. EC reached the semifinals of the National Women's Lacrosse League (NWLL) in 2014.


She has also made stops in her career as head women's basketball coach at Rutgers University-Camden, Drew University and Washington College. Wallach mentored 17 all-conference selections during her basketball coaching career.


Before taking over the head coaching duties at Washington, Wallach also served as an assistant coach for the women's basketball and lacrosse programs.


She was a three-sport star at Kean University prior to her coaching career and is a member of the Cougars’ Hall of Fame. She served as team captain on the lacrosse squad and earned All-NJAC accolades. On the hardwood, Wallach was a two-time All-NJAC and ECAC selection and was also named a Kodak/WBCA D-III All-American following the 1996-97 season. She is tied atop the Cougars’ record books for single-season scoring average (24.7 ppg.) and owns the school record for most made free throws in a season (141). Along with basketball and lacrosse, Wallach also lettered in field hockey.


"I am beyond excited to be named the first head women's lacrosse coach at Anderson University," said Wallach. “I want to thank President Whitaker and Bert Epting and his staff for their trust and belief in me to lead this program. I also want to thank my family, especially my husband and children, for their continued support of my career. From the moment I stepped on campus, I felt at home. The community and support within the department is amazing and I am blessed to be a part of something so special. Go Trojans!”


Wallach graduated with a bachelor of arts from Kean and earned her MBA from the University of Phoenix.