Coaches

Kristin Paolini

Excellence has become the standard during Kristin Paolini’s time as head women’s lacrosse coach at Roberts Wesleyan University.


From a Final Four appearance to East Coast Conference championships, the Redhawks have shown they can compete on the highest level in NCAA Division II.


The Redhawks enter the 2025 season, Paolini’s 10th at the helm, as the defending ECC Champions after going 13-5 and having 10 players earn All-ECC honors last spring. Roberts captured its second ECC title with an overtime victory on its home field as Paolini was named ECC Coach of the Year and junior Emma Blumenstock was named a Third-Team All-American by the IWLCA.


The Redhawks enjoyed another solid season in 2023, placing second in the conference and advancing to the ECC Championship Game while compiling a 12-6 record.


Roberts compiled a 9-6 record in 2022 while finishing second in the conference standings. Roberts placed seven players on the All-ECC first team while senior Madison Bell was named a third-team All-American by the IWLCA. Bell and Lindsey Brinkel were both named first team All-Region by the IWLCA.


The Redhawks authored the most successful season in program history in 2021 advancing to the NCAA Division II Final Four in Salem, Va, in 2021. Roberts went 14-2 while winning its first East Coast Conference Tournament championship and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Redhawks defeated Bentley 10-7 to win the NCAA East Region championship and earned a trip to the national semifinals against eventual national champion Lindenwood University. The Redhawks set a school record for wins and finished the season ranked seventh in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association’s final poll. Paolini was named IWLCA East Region Player of the Year and two Redhawks, Emily Tomei and Lindsey Brinkel, were named Second-Team All-Americans by the IWLCA. Ten Redhawks were named All-ECC teams.


The 2020 season showed plenty of promise before being cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Roberts sported a 4-1 record and was nationally ranked for the first time in program history when the pandemic hit.

The Redhawks finished the 2019 season with a record of 11-6. Roberts fell to Molloy in the first round of the ECC Championships. Four Redhawks made the ECC All-Conference list.


Finishing 9-9 overall and 3-4 in the conference in 2018, the Redhawks were able to clinch an East Coast Conference tournament berth for the second consecutive year. Roberts placed three players on ECC All-Conference team.


In 2017, Paolini's squad entered the East Coast Tournament for the first time in program history as the fourth seed, after predicted to finish sixth in ECC the preseason poll. Roberts finished the season 7-11 overall and 4-4 in the conference. The Redhawks placed two players on ECC All-Conference teams.


In 2016, Paolini’s first squad challenged for an ECC Tournament berth before finishing with a 3-5 mark in conference action and a 6-9 record overall.


Paolini, née Concordia, was named the fourth head coach in the history of the program in July of 2015. Paolini spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Roberts.


A 2012 graduate of Siena College, Paolini was the starting goalkeeper for the Saints for four seasons. She appeared in 63 games (all starts), registering 133 ground balls, 35 caused turnovers, 527 saves and a .403 save percentage, earning herself many MAAC preseason and postseason accolades.


Paolini graduated with a B.S in Psychology from Siena and earned her M.S in Sports Administration from Canisius College. A native of Rochester,N.Y., Paolini played at Webster Thomas High School where she helped her team win a Section V Championship her sophomore year.


Paolini lives in Webster with her husband, Dan, and their daughter, Lani and son Jace. She also manages a club team 3d Common Goal Lacrosse.