Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Tech Panthers Athletics
Clemente Center - 150 West University Blvd. Melbourne, FL 32901

Division 2 Florida Southeast

Private Small Competitive team

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Coaches

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Kelsey Richardson

Kelsey Richardson was hired as the Florida Tech Head Women's Lacrosse Coach in June 2023.

In 2024, her inaugural season at the helm of the program, Richardson guided the team to a 7-10 overall record with a 1-6 SSC record. She led the Panthers past #18 Saint Anselm on Thursday, March 14th by a score of 17-15. She helped the Panthers Receive a No.19 ranking in the IWLCA polls during the season which was the Panther's highest rank in the national poll since the 2021 Preseason Poll.

Richardson came to Florida Tech after serving on the Campbell University women's lacrosse coaching staff since 2021, where she played a significant role in back-to-back record-setting seasons.

Over her two seasons, Richardson assisted in producing a 22-14 record, a Big South title game appearance, seven all-conference selections, and five top individual honors with back-to-back Big South Defensive and Midfielder of the Year selections, as well as a Scholar-Athlete of the Year honoree. Additionally, the Camels ranked among the top 10 nationally in several statistical categories.

In her first season at CU, Richardson helped the Camels to a school record-tying 10 wins, setting a school record for Big South victories in a single year with seven. CU also set another program record with seven consecutive wins during the 2022 campaign.

Defensively, the Camels were among the best teams in the nation, ranking among the nation's top 10 in caused turnovers (seventh, 11.29) and ground balls (third, 20.94).

The 2023 season saw new records set in total wins (12), goals, assists, points, draw controls, ground balls, and caused turnovers. They led the nation in ground balls per game (20.63) and caused turnovers per game (14.11).

The program reached the Big South title game for the second time in program history and the first since 2017, where they fell to Mercer by one goal.

Prior to Campbell, Richardson was the assistant girls' coach at IMG Academy from 2019-21. She was responsible for all team planning, organization, and communications for IMG's girl's lacrosse program, as well as designing training programs.

At IMG, Richardson also implemented the program's "Leadership Council" and Empowered Female Athlete group to provide more value for athletes.

Additionally, Richardson has coached at the club level, serving as head coach of the Orange Crush Girls (2013-15), West Tampa Wolves Youth Lax Club (2016-19), and the Lax Maniax 2023 Black (2018-19).

A former Syracuse goalie and team captain, Richardson helped the Orange to four straight NCAA Final Four berths (2012-15), including two national championship game appearances in 2012 and 2014, a 2015 ACC Championship title, and a 2012 Big East title. The fourth-time conference all-academic team performer ranks among Syracuse's all-time saves leaders with 329.

A 2015 graduate of Syracuse, Richardson earned a degree in Psychology with a minor in Athletic Coaching.

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Hanna Hilcoff

Hilcoff was hired as the Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach in July of 2024.

Hilcoff held an Olympic Sports Nutrition Internship at Clemson during the Fall 2023 semester where she engaged in active sports nutrition shadowing and was tasked with gaining further knowledge in ways to fuel athletes of various sports for peak performance.

During the summers of 2019 and 2021 she spent her time as a Camp Counselor and Lacrosse instructor at Camp Metaponi in Naples, Maine. There she upheld responsibilities for campers while gaining listening and problem-solving skills along with preparing new lacrosse-related daily activities.

Her coaching experience extends to working with LaxMania Club Lacrosse in Jupiter, Florida during the summer of 2020. Her responsibilities included organizing and instructing practices and games while teaching new skills to players and guiding young women while establishing excitement for the athletes around the sport.

A successful Division I scholar-athlete, Hilcoff spent two seasons at Clemson University following her transfer from the University of Oregon.

Throughout her combined five seasons, two at Clemson and three at Oregon, she played in a total of 69 games, 168 goals, 29 assists for 197 points with 293 shots on goal, 0.771 shots on goal percentage, and a 0.442 shooting percentage. Defensively she finished her career with 212 draw control wins with 45 ground balls and 20 caused turnovers.

In 2024 she was named a Preseason All-American Honorable Mention after she led the Tigers with a career-high 51 goals the following year in 2023. Her senior year was the Tiger’s inaugural season in which Hilcoff scored the first goal in Clemson Lacrosse history in just under 40 seconds of the program’s first game.

During her three seasons at Oregon, Hilcoff was named Second Team All-Pac 12 during her sophomore (2022) and junior (2021) years. During her time in Eugene, Oregon she became the fastest player in Ducks history to record 100 career goals in which she scored 101 in 37 career games.

Since 2021 Hilcoff has also appeared for the Israeli National Team in which she competed at the 2022 World Games as her team finished 5th place in the world amongst over 100 competing countries.

She has earned both an NFHS Coaching Certification and an NFHS Strength and Condition Certification from Clemson University.

A Jupiter, Florida native, Hilcoff earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology from the University of Oregon in 2022. She is currently working towards her Bachelor of Science in Health Science with a concentration in Preprofessional Health Studies at Clemson University in which she is expected to graduate in August 2024.

For the latest news, updates, and information on Florida Tech women’s lacrosse, visit FloridaTechSports.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Panthers news by following Florida Tech Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.