Gannon University

Gannon University Athletics
109 University Square Erie, PA 16541

Division 2 Pennsylvania Northeast

Private Small Competitive team

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Coaches

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Jennifer Pawlowski

Highlights

Jennifer Pawlowski is entering her fifth year as the head coach of Gannon’s women’s lacrosse program in 2023-24.

Guided Gannon to four wins in 2023, including comeback wins over Lock Haven and archrival Mercyhurst.

Has had 35 student-athletes earn D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards in her first four seasons.

Has had 67 student-athletes earn PSAC Scholar Athlete status in her first four seasons, including 17 in 2023-24.

Has had 13 student-athletes make the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll the past three seasons.

Players collected five All-PSAC Second Team honors over the past three seasons, including three after the 2022 season.

McKenna Woodworth earned PSAC West Freshman of the Year honors under Pawlowski's tutelage in 2021.

2023 Accolades

Pawlowski's Golden Knights pulled off a huge win when they rallied to a 10-9 victory at Mercyhurst.

Gannon rallied from a 4-goal halftime deficit to beat Lock Haven 14-13.

GU posted four PSAC victories and contended for a playoff berth until the final week.

Scored 20 goals and 23 goals in a pair of wins over Edinboro.

Goalie Haleigh Manning was named All-PSAC West Second Team.

Golden Knights had 17 players selected as PSAC Scholar Athletes.

Gannon had eight student-athletes honored with D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards

2022 Accolades

Gannon showed dramatic improvement year-over-year by averaging more than 11 goals per game with a season-high of 23.

Posted five victories, including three in the PSAC.

Recorded two shutouts, the third and fourth shutouts in program history.

Three Gannon players made All-PSAC Second Team: Brooke Hedpitch, Macy Hedpitch, and Caroline Stevens.

Golden Knights had 18 players selected as PSAC Scholar Athletes.

Gannon had seven student-athletes honored with D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards.

2021 Accolades

Gannon erupted offensively for a season-high scoring total in an 18-6 win over D'Youville.

Also reached double-digit goals against IUP and Lock Haven.

McKenna Woodworth was selected as PSAC West Freshman of the Year and named All-PSAC Second Team.

Golden Knights had 18 players selected as PSAC Scholar Athletes.

Gannon had eight student-athletes honored with D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards.

2020 Accolades

The Golden Knights got off to the best six-game start to a season since 2011, going 4-2 over their first few weeks before the season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gannon went a perfect 4-0 on the road.

The team’s 78 goals scored across its six games led the PSAC, and its 57.4-percent free position scoring percentage was ninth in the nation and second in the conference.

Goalie Cheyenne Jess ranked in the top 35 in Division II and top six in the PSAC in saves (54), saves per game (9.00) and save percentage (46.6).

Rachel Tufts notched 22 goals, five assists, 22 draw controls and eight caused turnovers, leading the PSAC in goals and points.

Jess also earned a PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week award in early March after picking up 11 saves in a road win over Lynn, and Tufts earned PSAC West Athlete of the Week after scoring 10 goals in two games.

At Gannon

Hired in August 2019 as the seventh head coach in program history.

In 2020, the Golden Knights got off to the best six-game start to a season since 2011, going 4-2 over their first few weeks.

Prior To Gannon

Wheeling

Coached the Cardinals in 2019, going 12-7 overall and taking the team to an appearance in the Mountain East Conference tournament championship game

Matched the program record with 12 victories

Four Wheeling players earned All-MEC honors, including league Freshman of the Year Mackenzie Kaderabek

Edinboro

Coached the Fighting Scots during the 2018 season, where they opened 3-1 in nonconference play

Previous

Assistant coach at Shippensburg in 2017, helping the Raiders to seven victories and three all-conference awards

Also served as a sports performance coach at Power Train Sports & Fitness in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, during her time at Shippensburg

Has experience with youth clubs in Pittsburgh Premier Lacrosse, Lanco Elite and Xtreme Lacrosse

Athletic Career

A four-year member of the women’s lacrosse team at Edinboro

Played in 59 career games with the Fighting Scots, tallying 47 goals and 95 draw controls

Four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete

Two-time IWLCA Academic Honor Roll

Education

Master’s in Sport Management – California (Pa.) (2018)

Bachelor’s in Health and Physical Education – Edinboro (2014)

Personal

Native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Email coach

Sara Kilian

Gannon University women’s lacrosse coach Jennifer Pawlowski announced the addition of Sara Kilian to her coaching staff in August 2023. Kilian will serve as an assistant coach for the Golden Knights.

"I am excited to welcome Sara to our staff and Gannon Lacrosse Family,” related Pawlowski. :She brings great experience to our program both as a coach, and as a former player in the PSAC. We are looking forward to taking the next steps forward as a program and know that Sara will help us in this new era of our program."

In 2023 Kilian served as an assistant coach at Quincy. She helped coach a total of five Hawks to All-GLVC honors. Before her season at Quincy, Kilian spent two years as an assistant coach for the Muskingum women’s lacrosse team. During her time with the Muskies, Kilian helped coach two players to All-OAC honors in the 2022 season.

Prior to Muskingum, Kilian worked as an assistant coach for NXT Lacrosse where she organized practices and drills, communicated schedules to players and parents, and helped develop players agility, strength, and speed. She also worked as a coach for Quick Stick Lacrosse Training where she assisted with personal lacrosse skills geared towards small group training and education and specialized in the development of players.

Kilian is no stranger to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The native of Ridley Park, Pa. spent two seasons as a member of the Kutztown women’s lacrosse team in 2017 and 2018.

Kilian earned her bachelor’s degree in sports management from Kutztown in 2020 and her masters of adult education from Muskingum in 2022.