University of Connecticut Athletics
Coach Katie Frederick Graduates From IWLCA Aspire Program
1/30/2026 11:31:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. – UConn women's lacrosse associate head coach Katie Frederick has been announced as a member of the 2026 IWLCA graduating class of the Aspire program, the organization announced on Friday. Frederick joined the UConn women's lacrosse staff in August 2021 and enters her fifth season with the program in 2026.
The IWLCA hosted a virtual graduation ceremony for participants in the IWLCA Aspire Program, a professional development program designed to align with the IWLCA's vision to offer an intensive, high-quality continuing education opportunity for current assistant coaches.
Programming for the Aspire program was led by Sarah McQuade and Julie Muller from e.t.c. coaching consultants. The duo served as the lead facilitators for the second year of the program and guided two cohorts of coaches through a hybrid curriculum consisting of online courses, live webinars, in-person sessions at the 2025 IWLCA Convention, as well as individual mentoring sessions.
"One of our organizational objectives is to support, engage, and educate our members, and the Aspire program hits that goal directly. Expanding the program in year two has allowed us to impact a greater number of coaches, and we have had nothing but positive feedback so far," said Kelly Gallagher, IWLCA President and head coach at the University of Tampa. "Sarah and Julie from e.t.c. Coaching Consultants have done a great job delivering the curriculum while also fostering a collaborative community and tailoring individual sessions to meet participants'' needs."
The IWLCA Aspire program was designed to enhance coaches' professional skills, capabilities, and self-awareness through the dynamic blended learning approach. "Participating in the Aspire program has been great for my development as a coach," said Ginnabeth Day Sheppard, an assistant coach at Berry College, who also serves as co-chair of the IWLCA's Annual Meeting Planning Committee. "I've learned a great deal about the practice of coaching and have refined what kind of coach I want to be for my players. I have also made great connections with other coaches in the program, learning from them, and expanding my own professional network."
The class of 2026 consists of the following individuals in two cohorts:
|
"Aspire to Inspire" Cohort |
|
|
|
|
|
Lauren |
Chong |
Presbyterian College |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Caroline |
Curnal |
Notre Dame |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Ginnabeth |
Day Sheppard |
Berry College |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Emerson |
Foster |
Randolph Macon College |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Kaitlin |
Frederick |
UConn |
Division I |
Associate Head Coach |
|
Kaelin |
Hogan |
East Carolina University |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Sara |
Kilian |
Gannon University |
Division II |
Assistant Coach |
|
Katie |
McAllister |
Gettysburg College |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Hilary |
McFadden |
Grand Valley State University |
Division II |
Assistant Coach |
|
Lyndsey |
Muñoz |
Towson University |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Kyra |
Schwartzman |
Colby College |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Abby |
Tepper |
Merrimack College |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Tori |
Vernau |
Denison University |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Elizabeth |
Wilson |
Radford University |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Taylor |
Woolard |
Colgate University |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Elevate Cohort |
|
|
|
|
|
Grace |
Cobaugh |
Seton Hill University |
Division II |
Assistant Coach |
|
Grace |
Coon |
American University |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Emily |
DiGaetano |
Hartwick College |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Emilee |
Heffner |
Transylvania University |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Ally |
Moir |
Bridgewater College |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Danielle |
O'Meara |
Lee University |
Division II |
Assistant Coach |
|
Marlo |
Peck |
John Carroll University |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Zoë |
Pekins |
Tusculum University |
Division II |
Assistant Coach |
|
Rachel |
Robb |
Young Harris College |
Division II |
Assistant Coach |
|
Josey |
Shaffer |
Widener University |
Division III |
Assistant Coach |
|
Alyssa |
Suchan |
University of Alabama Huntsville |
Division II |
Assistant Coach |
|
Ally |
Washburn |
Smith College |
Division III |
Graduate Assistant |
|
Landyn |
White |
Clemson University |
Division I |
Assistant Coach |
|
Jacqueline |
Wolford |
Grand Valley State University |
Division II |
Graduate Assistant |
About the IWLCA:
The Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization representing over 1,200 coaches and staff at NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III, and NAIA collegiate programs. The mission of the IWLCA is to lead, serve, and honor the game of women's lacrosse and those who coach it.
