Email coach
Sarah Dalton
Vermont native and former America East standout Sarah Dalton Graddock will enter her seventh season at the helm of the Catamounts in 2023.
Named the IWLCA Northeast Coach of the Year, Dalton Graddock guided Vermont to its first America East Championship in program history in 2022 when Grace Giancola scored the game-winning goal with 2:12 left to defeat No. 1 UAlbany 12-11. The Catamounts posted a program-best 14-5 (3-3 AE) en route to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Vermont produced five America East All-Conference members, including first teamers Carolyn Carrera, Taylor Mullen, and Ava Vasile. Vasile recorded historic numbers in 2022, posting single-season records in goals (63) and points (79). Vasile and Carrera also became the first Catamounts in program history to receive ILWomen All-America accolades.
Dalton Graddock has continued to move the program forward during her tenure. In her five years, she has climbed to No. 3 on the school's all-time wins list. The UVM head coach guided the program to its first America East Playoff berth since 2016 in 2021. The Catamounts posted a 6-6 (6-3 AE) record to clinch the No. 3 seed. Goalkeeper Sophie McLaughlin was named America East Goalkeeper of the Year, and three more Catamounts received All-Conference honors. The 2020 Cats posted a 4-4 overall record before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 Pandemic (Coronavirus). In 2019, UVM reached the win column eight times – the most victories in five years. The bench boss has produced eight All-America East performers during her short time in Burlington. Jenna Janes became the first Vermont player to collect America East First Team All-Conference honors since 2015. Freshman Grace Giancola landed on the All-Conference Second Team and one of three Catamount newcomers to make the All-Rookie Team.
Three years ago, the Cats had the third-best win improvement rate in Division I. UVM’s +5-win improvement from 2017 was tied with Boston College for the best among New England programs. The Cats had two first-year athletes, MacKenzie Bolt and Jessica English, land on the America East All-Rookie Team.
In her first season on the sidelines, UVM played a competitive schedule against four teams who earned a berth into the NCAA Tournament – Albany, Bryant, Louisville, and Stony Brook. The 2017 Cats also played a pair of ranked opponents – No. 4 Stony Brook and No. 16 Denver. Dalton Graddock helped the Class of 2017 graduate with 30 career victories, which is tied for the fourth-most by a graduating class. The unit helped set the program record with 12 wins in 2014 and set the school mark with four conference victories in 2015.
Before Vermont, she spent four years as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Notre Dame in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). She helped the Fighting Irish earn a top-20 national ranking and an NCAA Tournament berth during all four years of her tenure. The Cornwall native coached 19 players who were selected to an All-Region Team, 11 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Americans, and eight All-ACC selections. This past season, the Irish led the nation in caused turnovers while ranking seventh in scoring offense and ninth in assists per game.
Dalton Graddock stepped away from lacrosse during the 2012-13 season to work for College For Every Student (CFES), a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping underserved students prepare for, gain access to, and succeed in college. She oversaw a CFES partnership with the America East Conference in which student-athletes from each member school were paired with students in a low income school in their community.
Prior to her time with Notre Dame and CFES, Dalton Graddock was an assistant coach for three years at William & Mary and guided the program to double-digit wins in her final two seasons. In 2010, the Tribe set conference records for points, goals, draw controls, and shooting percentage. William & Mary had six players earn All-Conference honors during her final season in 2011, including the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Player, Defender, and Rookie of the Year.
Dalton Graddock attended Middlebury Union High School before moving on to Boston University. She finished her four-year career as the most accomplished offensive player in BU history, becoming the Terriers' career and single season leader in both goals and points. She was a three-time IWLCA All-American, including a pair of First Team selections, and won a pair of America East Player of the Year awards. Dalton Graddock was also a member of the U.S. National Development Squad from 2008-10.
Dalton Graddock earned a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Boston University in 2009 and is currently completing course work for a Master's degree in sports business from Duquesne University. Over the last year, she has been inducted into the Boston University Hall of Fame and the Vermont Chapter of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Dalton Graddock resides in Stowe with her husband Mason, her children Campbell and Dalton, and black lab Bella.
show more