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Xavier University

Xavier University Athletics
3800 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45207
Division 1 Ohio Midwest
Private Small Competitive team

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Meg Decker

Meg Decker was named head women’s lacrosse coach in July of 2021. She joined the Musketeers after serving as head coach at Hartford from 2016-21.


In year two as leader of the Xavier women's lacrosse program, Decker coached five student-athletes to nine BIG EAST weekly awards and Lola Mancuso to the All-BIG EAST Second Team. The Musketeers collected a 4-11 record, moving to 2-0 in the series histories with Radford, Presbyterian and Eastern Michigan while picking up the first program win over Detroit Mercy. In a year of massive growth, Decker helped student-athletes to snap 10 single-game records and 16 season records, while also recording the program's first overtime win. Decker also guided shooters to a .753 shot on goal percentage and out-paced opponents in man-down situations 6-2.


In her first season as head coach for Xavier, Decker helped the program to a 4-10 record, Erin Berls and Jessica Harrison to the All-BIG EAST Second Team, and Lola Mancuso to BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors. She coached three individuals to four BIG EAST weekly awards and She earned her first win as head coach and the program's first win with a 15-14 victory over Radford on February 24, 2023.


Decker, a two-time All-BIG EAST Conference selection as a player, is certainly no stranger to the league or when it comes to building collegiate women’s lacrosse programs. She built the program from the ground up at Hartford. She helped build Virginia Commonwealth University’s women’s lacrosse program from scratch as an assistant coach, and was a student-athlete on the inaugural women’s lacrosse team at the United States Naval Academy.


Academic success has gone hand-in-hand with improved play on the field during Decker’s head coaching career. The Hartford women’s lacrosse team landed almost 90 percent of its roster on the America East Honor Roll the past two seasons and nearly 75 percent of the roster earned Commissioner’s Honor Roll distinction for achieving a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. During that same period the offensive possession time doubled over the past two full seasons, 2019 and 2021, from 11 minutes to 22 minutes, the team increased its offensive possessions by 50 percent and doubled their goals per game.


In addition to Hartford from 2016-21 and VCU from 2014-16, Decker has coaching experience as the head coach of the Flash Club Women's Lacrosse in Tustin, Calif., and as the director of the Whirlwind Lacrosse Tournament in Newport Beach, Calif. Additionally, Decker is the New England Director for Trilogy's middle school Leadership and Lacrosse camp.


Outside of coaching, Decker served as a multi-year Committee Member and later became Committee Chair for the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Association Convention Planning Committee, planning and leading the annual event for all collegiate women’s lacrosse coaches. She also served on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the University of Hartford Department of Athletics. Additionally, Decker was a contributing member of the America East Working Group considering how to best support the mental health of student-athletes through balancing their time obligations in academics and sport.


A native of Baltimore, Md., Decker enjoyed a standout collegiate career as the Division I Rookie of the Year at Navy (2008) and a BIG EAST standout at Loyola (2010-2011), having sat out the 2009 season to satisfy transfer rules. She helped lead Loyola to a school-record 17 wins, the 2011 BIG EAST Championship and an NCAA Quarterfinal appearance in her final season. Decker finished her career with 113 goals and 154 draw controls as a collegian. She was a two-time All-BIG EAST selection at Loyola, which was a BIG EAST member in women’s lacrosse from 2006-13.


After graduating, Decker was invited to the U.S. Lacrosse National Pool Tryouts in 2015. She had also been invited to the tryout in 2008 while still an undergraduate student. In the inaugural draft of the United Women’s Lacrosse League, she was selected by the Philadelphia Force in 2016, where she spent two years as a midfielder. She continued her professional career with the Boston Storm, where she spent one season as a defender.


Decker, who studied chemistry and oceanography while at the Naval Academy, graduated from Loyola in 2011 with a degree in Psychology. She continued her education at Hartford, and will receive her master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology this December.


Xavier - Head Coach (2021-present)


Hartford - Head Coach (2016-21)


VCU - Assistant Coach (2014-16)


HOMETOWN - Baltimore, Md.


COLLEGE - Loyola University Maryland ('11)


FAMILY - Matt Zink (partner); Jaxon (son)

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Margaret Wolford

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Amanda Monahan

Amanda Monahan was hired as an Assistant Coach to the women's lacrosse program in August of 2024.



Monahan joined the Musketeers from Furman University where she served as an assistant to current Xavier Associate Head Coach Kirkland Lewis for one season. In her first season as a collegiate coach, Monahan helped lead the Paladins to a 6-2 record in the Big South. She worked primarily with goalkeepers while assisting with defense.



"Amanda has the passion and mind for coaching that will immediately impact the student-athletes," said Head Coach Meg Decker. "She has bright insights in the game, can connect well with student-athletes, and adds depth to the coaching staff by taking on coaching our goalies, a key position on the field. We are excited that to have her join the program and Xavier athletic department community!"



The Marblehead, Mass. Native graduated from Davidson College with a degree in communications in 2023 after a four-year career as the Wildcats' goalkeeper. She totaled 34 victories and finished with 452 career saves that landed her fourth all-time in the record books.



In her senior season, Monahan was a USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Honorable Mention All-American and ranked 42nd nationally in both saves and save percentage. She tied the school record for wins by a goalkeeper in a season with 12 in her junior campaign and collected three Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week honors in her sophomore season.


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