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Monmouth University

Monmouth University Athletics
400 Cedar Avenue West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Division 1 New Jersey Northeast
Private Small National competitor

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Jordan Trautman

In the summer of 2017, former Georgetown All-American Jordan Trautman was named as Monmouth’s sixth Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach.


The 2022 season was highlighted by Monmouth earning a share of the MAAC regular season title for just the second time in program history after playing to a 6-2 mark in MAAC action. Monmouth earned the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament for the first time as a member of the MAAC and the first time since the 2013 campaign when Monmouth was still a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC). Trautman was named the program's first-ever MAAC Coach of the Year. Under her tutelage, six Hawks garnered All-MAAC Team accolades. It marked the third straight season that five or more Hawks received All-MAAC Team praise. Additionally, Cassidy Orban finished as the second Hawk in program history to earn midfielder of the year honors.


In a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trautman guided the Hawks to a 6-2 non-conference record which included the program's first win over in-state foe Rutgers since 2016.


In 2019, Trautman led the Hawks to their second consecutive MAAC Tournament bye, earning the No. 2 seed in after finishing with a 6-2 conference record. Monmouth boasted the top scoring offense in the league and had two major league award winners for the first time since joining the MAAC in 2014. Nicole Ceraso, the MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, set the school's single-season record for assists while junior Rachel Mills was named MAAC Midfielder of the Year. A record five Hawks were named to All-MAAC teams, including four first-team selections. The Hawks scored 249 goals which is the second most in school history while leading the conference in goals, shots, points and shots on goal. Nationally, Ceraso ranked 10th in assists, 12th in assists per game and 21st in points per game. As a team the Hawks finished in the top-25 nationally in a number of categories including caused turnovers per game, ground balls per game, free position free percentage, shots on goal per game and shots while Monmouth's scoring defense finished 26th allowing just over 10 goals per game.


Trautman was inducted into the Connecticut Hall of Fame in 2019 for her on-field prep accomplishments.


For the sixth consecutive season the Hawks made the MAAC Tournament, while Trautman's team recorded double-digit wins for the third time in the last five years. Academically, the Hawks had a team 3.51 grade point average while a record nine different players earned IWLCA Academic Honor Roll spots, almost double the previous record of five players.


In her first season at the helm of the Hawks, Trautman made history by leading Monmouth to a share of its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season title. Monmouth earned its first win over perennial league standout Canisius and a 6-2 league mark. The Hawks made the MAAC Tournament for the fifth consecutive season, this time earning the No. 2 seed and a opening round bye, both firsts for the program. Three members of Trautman’s squad earned all-league honors while five student-athletes earned spots on the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll, the second most in school history.


Trautman comes to Monmouth after serving as Head Coach at Kean University for the past five seasons, where she guided the Cougars to three 10-win seasons and 51 wins. During her time in Union, she mentored five all-region selections, eight first team all-conference players, the 2016 New Jersey Athletic Conference Midfielder of the Year and a Goaltender of the Year. Off the field, Trautman’s teams have earned IWLCA Academic Honor Squad distinction each of her five seasons with a cumulative team GPA of at least a 3.0.


Prior to landing the head job at Kean, Trautman served as an assistant coach at Yale University in 2011.


Trautman spent the 2010 season at Navy under head coach Cindy Timchal, college lacrosse’s all-time leader in wins. That year the Mids went 17-4, setting the school record for wins. They won a share of the Patriot League regular season championship and also won the Patriot League tournament, earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament bid. With Trautman’s help, the defense finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country in scoring defense (just 8.38 goals allowed per game).


A defender from Mystic, Conn., Trautman was All-Region and a Second Team All-American in 2008. She led Georgetown with 45 ground balls and was second with 29 caused turnovers that season, earning first team All-Big East honors. She helped lead Georgetown to three NCAA Tournament appearances, two Big East Championships and an overall mark of 49-25 (.662). During her senior campaign, she was second team All-Big East and a North-South All-Star selection, while also appearing on the watch list for the Tewaaraton Trophy as the top player in women’s college lacrosse. Trautman was twice invited to try out for the USA national team, most recently in the summer of 2014.


In November of 2019, Trautman was inducted to the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame. In addition to extensive club lacrosse experience, Trautman worked for two years at the National Football League as a manager of player marketing. She graduated from Georgetown in 2009.


She currently resides in Fair Haven, N.J., with her husband Nick and two children, Hudson and Tillman.

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Christie Kaestner

Former Duke Blue Devil All-American Christie Kaestner was added to the Monmouth Women's Lacrosse staff in August of 2017.


During Monmouth's time in the MAAC, Kaestner transformed the Hawks' offense to one of the most efficient and highest scoring units in the conference.

The 2022 season was highlighted by Monmouth earning a share of the MAAC regular season title for just the second time in program history after playing to a 6-2 mark in MAAC action. Monmouth earned the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament for the first time as a member of the MAAC and the first time since the 2013 campaign when Monmouth was still a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC). Monmouth finished second in the conference in goals scored and third in assists.


In the shortened 2021 Spring season Kaestner held the role of Interim Head Coach, leading the team to an 8-5 record and an appearance in the MAAC Semifinals. Under her guidance Monmouth senior Nicole Ceraso earned All-Region honors by the IWLCA as well as collecting her second MAAC Offensive Player of the Year honor. Ceraso graduated as the Hawks' all-time leader in points (308) and assists while finishing as a four-time all-conference honoree. In 2021 the Hawks had six players earn All-MAAC designation, including three starting attack players and midfielder Rachel Mills.


Kaestner came to Monmouth after two seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State University where she helped lead the Buckeyes to 19 wins, a Big Ten Tournament appearance and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. While in Columbus she served as the team's offensive coordinator, a position she also held at Coastal Carolina. Kaestner spent three seasons and an assistant in Conway, helping start the Chanticleer program while directing the offense, coordinating recruiting efforts and handling academic supervision.


A native of Trappe, Md., Kaestner was a first team All-American at Duke where she finished her Blue Devil career with 93 goals and 98 assists to rank ninth all-time in the Duke record book with 191 points. As a senior in 2011, Kaestner earned first team first team All-ACC honors as she led the Blue Devils to the NCAA Semifinals and was named to the IWLCA All-South Region team in both 2010 and 2011. During her senior campaign, Kaestner set the Duke single-season assists record with 47 on her way to ranking second all-time with 98.

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