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Sonia LaMonica
The Tiger women’s lacrosse team continues to be a dominant force in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) under Head Coach Sonia LaMonica.
LaMonica enters her 10th season as the Tigers' head coach in the 2020 season. Her nine seasons at Towson include a record of 108-63 overall with a CAA mark of 45-11 and a home record of 58-28. She has led the Tigers to three conference titles and several player accolades including All-Americans and CAA individual awards.
In 2019, Towson faced a tough slate of nine nationally-ranked teams but remained in the top four of CAA teams to enter the CAA Championship tournament. LaMonica helped lead Sami Chenoweth, Olivia Conti and Natalie Sulmonte for All-CAA First Team honors while two other players received conference accolades. She guided Chenoweth, a junior defender, to the IWLCA All-America Third Team, IWLCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Team and All-ECAC First Team. Chenoweth and Conti were both on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
In her eighth season at the helm, LaMonica saw her squad earn accolades for the conference and a handful of All-American awards. Nine players were tabbed for All-CAA honors including Conti and her second-consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award. With a 16-5 overall record the Tigers played in the conference championship game, ultimately falling to the JMU team that would win the national championship. LaMonica then led her team through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.
The 2017 season saw nine Tigers honored for their season, including then-freshman Olivia Conti who captured the Defensive Player of the Year award. Conti was the first freshman in CAA history to receive the honor. In the season, LaMonica led her team through a tough schedule with games against No. 6 Stonybrook, No. 7 Penn State, No. 3 Florida, No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 19 Elon. The Tigers fell in the first round of the CAA Championship and went on to play a first-round game in the NCAA Tournament.
In 2016 Towson captured its seventh CAA title after defeating JMU and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the regular season LaMonica coached her team to victories over ranked opponents No. 19 Loyola and later No. 19 Johns Hopkins. Eight members of her team were honored by the conference including freshman Natalie Sulmonte who was named Rookie of the Year.
Towson made its fifth straight appearance in the CAA Championship game under LaMonica during the 2015 season. She continued to challenge her Tigers as Towson faced six nationally-ranked teams and took No. 2 North Carolina to double overtime before falling. Though the streak of CAA titles may have ended, LaMonica's Tigers exhibited a work hard trademark throughout the season. Nowhere was this more evident as the CAA semifinals where the team scored two goals while two men down in overtime and rallied for a 7-3 win over top seed Hofstra.
Eight Tigers were honored in 2015 under LaMonica's watch. Senior defender Michelle Dufault highlighted that group as she earned CAA Defensive Player of the Year honors. In addition, Dufault, redshirt senior attacker Andi Raymond and senior goalkeeper Kelsea Donnelly all earned first team honors. Junior defender Emily Roth was named to the second team while freshmen Erika Cavallo, Emily Gillingham and Kaitlyn Montalbano were all named to the All-Rookie team. Senior midfielder Delaney Fisher was named to the CAA All-Academic squad.
The 2014 season played out a similar script from the 2013 and 2012 seasons. LaMonica challenged her Tigers as they faced seven nationally-ranked teams during non-conference play. Those challenges had the Tigers ready for CAA play as the team went 4-1 and claimed a share of its fourth straight CAA regular season title. LaMonica and the Tigers went on to defeat Hofstra and James Madison to capture their third straight CAA title, becoming the first team in conference history to win three straight. Towson advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season under LaMonica’s guidance.
Honored as the CAA Coach of the Year for the fourth straight season, LaMonica guided Raymond to CAA Co-Player of the Year accolades and freshman attacker Gabby Cha to CAA Rookie of the Year honors. In addition, seven other Tigers were honored at the CAA awards banquet. Raymond, attacker Ashleigh Rohrback and Donnelly earned IWLCA All-Region honors under LaMonica’s tutelage.
During the 2013 season, LaMonica’s third at the helm, the Tigers battled through a tough non-conference schedule that featured six ranked teams, including both of the national championship finalists, and turned in a dominating April to capture their third-straight CAA regular-season title. LaMonica led the Tigers to wins over Drexel and Hofstra to capture their second straight CAA title and fifth since 2005. Towson made its second-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament under LaMonica.
Named the CAA Coach of the Year for the third-straight season, LaMonica guided senior defender Alexa Demski to IWLCA second team All-America honors. In addition, Demski was named the CAA Co-Defender of the Year and Ashleigh Rohrback was named the CAA Co-Player of the Year.
In her second season, LaMonica guided the Tigers to a 16-4 record, a perfect 7-0 CAA record and the program’s fourth CAA title. LaMonica and the Tigers hosted an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in program history.
Named the CAA Coach of the Year for the second-straight season, she coached a pair of third team IWLCA All-Americans in Demski and Mary Teeters. Demski and Teeters were also part of a group of six Tigers who earned All-CAA honors.
In her first season, LaMonica led the Tigers to an 11-7 record, the CAA regular season championship and an appearance in the CAA Championship Game.
Along the way, LaMonica was named as the CAA Coach of the Year and had eight players earn All-CAA honors, including first team selections Jess Dunn, Teeters, Demski and Ashley Waldron.
A native of Darlington, South Australia, LaMonica (pronounced La - MAHN - ick - uh) was named the 10th head coach in the 34-year history of the Towson women’s lacrosse program in 2010. She returned to lead the Tigers after a one-year stint as the head coach at Mount St. Mary’s University.
As the Mountaineers’ head coach, LaMonica led Mount St. Mary’s to an 8-9 record in 2010 and a berth in the Northeast Conference (NEC) semifinals. She coached five players who earned All-NEC honors, including senior attacker Ashley Johnson and junior defender Aly Jost, who earned first team all-conference notice.
Prior to becoming the Mountaineers’ head coach, LaMonica spent two seasons as a member of Missy Doherty’s staff at Towson and helped the Tigers win a pair of Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championships.
She coached Hillary Fratzke, who was named as the 2008 CAA Player of the Year and earned first team All-America honors. She also worked with Julie Ondrako, who was named as the 2009 CAA Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, five players earned first team All-CAA notice while two players earned second team accolades.
In addition to Fratzke, the Tigers had three players earn IWLCA all-region honors during those two seasons.
Before joining the Tigers’ staff, LaMonica was an assistant coach at the University of Denver, helping the Pioneers to a 15-5 record during the 2006 season. She coached the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Player and Rookie of the Year along with three all-conference selections and the program’s first IWLCA All-West/Midwest region honoree.
In addition to her success as a coach, LaMonica is a member of the Australian National Team. She helped Australia win the gold medal at the 2005 World Cup Championship and a silver medal at the 2009 World Cup Championship. In the summer of 2013, LaMonica played a key role in helping Australia earn a bronze medal at the World Cup Championship in Canada.
Named to the 2005 IFWLA All-World Team, she was also a member of the U-19 Australian National Team that won the silver medal at the 1999 World Championships and was also the recipient of the U21 South Australian Sportswoman of the Year award.
A 2003 graduate of the University of Maryland, LaMonica was a three-year starter for the Terrapins. She earned first team All-America honors and was a candidate for the Tewaaraton Trophy during her senior season after leading Maryland to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship. A team captain during her senior season, she was a member of three ACC championship teams and helped the Terrapins win the 2000 and 2001 NCAA titles.
LaMonica scored 111 goals in her college career, including 49 goals as a senior, along with 55 assists.
Formerly Sonia Judd, LaMonica is married to former University of Maryland men’s lacrosse standout Michael LaMonica. The couple resides in Parkton, Md. with their sons, Luca and Bodhi and daughter, Marley.
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