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Jill Redfern
A National Lacrosse Hall of Famer and four-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, Jill Redfern is entering her 17th year as head coach of the Lehigh women’s lacrosse program. Her tenure as Lehigh’s winningest coach in program history has led the Mountain Hawks to 12 Patriot League Tournaments in 14 seasons. Under her leadership, the Mountain Hawks boast a 163-115 record, including seasons of 11, 14, 10, 13, 12, 13, and 12 victories, as Redfern continues to push the Lehigh women’s lacrosse program to new heights. She has mentored 77 all-league selections and guided players to record breaking performances across 13 categories. An innovative and strategic leader, Redfern has prioritized academic achievement within the lacrosse program. Under Redfern, the NCAA Public Recognition award has gone to the Mountain Hawks’ squad 9 times and Lehigh has been an IWLCA honor squad for 12 years. Additionally, the Mountain Hawks have been consistent members of the Lehigh Flight 45 leadership development program. The combination of Redfern’s outstanding recruiting abilities and player development skills has produced highly competitive teams.
In 2024, goalkeeper Hayley Hunt was tabbed Lehigh's first Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year in history, also earning USA Lacrosse and IWLCA Honorable Mention All-America honors. Redfern coached five all league players in Hunt, Cassie Marte, Gabby Schneider, Brynn Freeman and Olivia Memeger. The Mountain Hawks finished 8-9 overall and 3-6 in Patriot League play, upsetting Army in the Patriot League Quarterfinal (12-11, 2OT) to advance to the semifinal versus Loyola.
In 2023, attacker Gabrielle Schneider set the program record for career assists and midfielder Cassie Marte set the single-season draw control record as the Mountain Hawks went 12-6 earning a semi-final appearance in the Patriot League Tournament. In 2022, Lehigh goalkeeper Hayley Hunt delivered a national best save percentage as the hawks went 9-9. Hunt was also named preseason Patriot League Goalie of the Year and a US Lacrosse All American while Schneider set the single game assist record.
In 2021, Redfern led Lehigh to the Patriot League Championship Game, finishing the season 9-4 (6-1 in the league).The Mountain Hawks ended the regular season winning seven of their last eight games (which extended to nine of 10 with a pair of postseason wins). Lehigh defeated a ranked Navy team in the regular season (12-7), then beat the Mids again in the Patriot League Quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals where the Mountain Hawks beat Army West Point for a second time
The 2020 season was cut short after the Mountain Hawks posted a 6-2 record. Senior Sondra Dickey was sixth nationally in goals (32) and 12th in points (42), while freshman Gabby Schneider was seventh in assists (21) and 14th in points (41). Notably, Dickey also became Lehigh women’s lacrosse’s second student-athlete named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List in 2020.In 2019, Lehigh won its final four regular season games to earn its sixth straight Patriot League Tournament appearance, a program record. Dickey was named IWLCA second team All-Region for a second straight year – only the Mountain Hawks’ second two-time honoree since the turn of the century.
The Mountain Hawks posted a 38-17 record from 2016-18, among the most wins in the nation over that three-year stretch. During this time, Redfern mentored and coached some of Lehigh’s most successful players in Sondra Dickey and Kayleen Kelly. Both broke the previous school record for draw controls in a season. Kelly broke Lehigh’s single-game, season and career records for draw controls which Cecily Redfern and Dickey, and Cassie Marte have since broken. Allison LaBeau also broke the Patriot League Tournament single-game record under Redfern’s guidance, recording 11 points and 6 assists.
The Mountain Hawks advanced to their second straight Patriot League Tournament in 2015, finishing the season 9-8 while leading the Patriot League in caused turnovers per game (9.71). Lehigh enjoyed a resurgent season in 2014, finishing 4-4 in league play to advance to the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2011. From 2011 - 2013, the Mountain Hawks included exceptionally talented and decorated players, including Sukonik (twice), Julie McBrien (twice), Leigh Ann Torcivia and Willcox. Fitzpatrick was named first team All-League as both a freshman (2011) and senior (2014) as one of the nation’s elite goalies both seasons.
In 2011, Redfern was tapped as the Patriot League Coach of the year and was a finalist for Regional Coach of the Year. The Mountain Hawks advanced to their fifth straight Patriot League Tournament, joining Colgate as the only teams to qualify in each of the previous five seasons. Redfern also mentored Lehigh’s first IWLCA All-American since 1996 in Lauren Dystra that season. Lehigh finished among the national leaders in a number of statistical categories, ranking ninth in scoring margin (4.65), 11th in scoring defense (8.94), 12th in draw controls (13.94) and 13th in scoring offense (13.59). Dykstra also finished the season winning Patriot League Midfielder of the year, ranking sixth in career goals in NCAA history with 257.
During her inaugural season as Lehigh head coach, Redfern led the Mountain Hawks to the fourth most victories in a single season in school annals, the most home wins in program history and the program’s third consecutive Patriot League Tournament berth as Lehigh tied the school mark for the most Patriot League victories in a single season. Redfern’s success continued in 2010 as the Mountain Hawks won the Patriot League Regular Season Title and advanced all the way to the Championship Game.
Personal:
Redfern’s coaching career includes a previous stint at Lafayette College where she led a record of 155-106 and garnered Patriot League Coach of the Year honors in 2000 after leading the Leopards to the league title. Redfern also served as an assistant in both the field hockey and lacrosse programs at Lafayette for eight years before assuming the head coaching position.
Redfern was named the head women’s lacrosse coach at Lehigh in 2008. In her first year as the head coach, Redfern’s team set a program record, posting eight All-Patriot League selections and their fourth consecutive PL Rookie of the Year. Prior to 2008, she served as the associate head coach of the program. During that time, she helped lead the Mountain Hawks to a pair of Patriot League Tournament appearances and helped mentor 13 All-Patriot League selections, three consecutive Rookie of the Year honorees and a pair of Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winners.
Redfern was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in September of 2018 as a truly great player. She was a standout midfielder for Ursinus College from 1984 to 1988 and was a multi year and multi sport captain for the Bears. During her college playing days, Redfern was a two time Division III All-American at Ursinus College and was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1986 NCAA Tournament after leading the Bears to a national championship. Following her collegiate playing days, Redfern was a member of the U.S. National Lacrosse Team from 1987-1993, and capped off her international play as a member of the winning United States World Cup Team in 1993., in Edinburgh Scotland.
Jill Johnson Redfern is a 1988 graduate of Ursinus College. She earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Lehigh in 1991. She was inducted into the Ursinus Hall of Fame in 1998 for her exceptional contributions to women’s athletics and the Eastern PA Chapter of the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame in February 2019 as an outstanding player and coach. She and her husband Thomas reside in New Jersey. They are the parents of two children.
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