NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. – Saint Leo University and the IWLCA is proud to announce the graduation McKenna Kincaid as one of 17 assistant and associate head coaches from the inaugural IWLCA Aspire Program. This newly created professional development program targeted growing both the personal and professional elements of coaching in an intensive nine-month course. Kincaid was one of two to represent Division II, joining UVA-Wise's Jordan Blackburne in the inaugural class.
 
"I am so thankful for the opportunity to have been part of the first IWLCA Aspire Program," said Kincaid. "I have learned so much from Sarah and Julie as well as my fellow Aspire coaches and I feel confident and excited for what comes next in my coaching career!"
 
Kincaid recently obtained her graduate degree from Saint Leo as the graduate assistant for Saint Leo University women's lacrosse program. During her time on the sideline for the Green & Gold the Lions have compiled a 25-12 overall record and an 8-6 SSC record including a pair of SSC tournament semifinal appearances. The 2024 team tied the programs best SSC finish with a third place finish to earn hosting rights for the opening round of the conference tournament. The Lions earned a trio of SSC weekly honors, nine all-SSC selections including Palomba as the 2025 Midfielder of the Year and four all-tournament selections. Three Lions combined to earn five IWLCA Division II All-South Region selections.
 
"I am so happy for McKenna that she was able to be a part of the ASPIRE program's inaugural class," said Saint Leo head coach Caitlin Hansen. "Now that she has completed her graduate assistant role with us, I think she has all the tools necessary to make a successful career in this profession. Our entire program congratulates her on this graduation and wishes her the best in her next role!"
 
The cohort participated in a series of courses and Zoom calls focused on professional development, exploring a range of foundational coaching topics. These included personal and professional growth ("developing oneself"), establishing a consistent coaching framework ("laying the foundation"), supporting athletes beyond their performance ("coaching the whole athlete"), and clarifying their individual coaching philosophies and values. These sessions provided the cohort with meaningful insights and practical strategies to strengthen their impact as coaches and leaders.
 
Approved by the Board of Directors in June of 2024, programming for Aspire was led by Sarah McQuade and Julie Muller from e.t.c. coaching consultants. The duo served as the lead facilitators and guided the initial cohort of 17 coaches through a hybrid curriculum consisting of online courses, live webinars, in-person sessions at the 2024 IWLCA Convention, and individual mentoring session throughout the academic year.  The goal of the Aspire program aimed to enhance coaches' professional knowledge, harness personal reflective practices and build on the critical interpersonal skills needed to thrive in collegiate coaching.
 
The inaugural class of 2025 consists of the following individuals:

Clara	Bissell	Wesleyan University	Division III	Associate Head Coach
Jordan	Blackburne	The University of Virginia's College at Wise	Division II	Assistant Coach
Avery	Blackmon	Washington and Lee University	Division III	Assistant Coach
McKenna	Blick	Stevenson University	Division III	Assistant Coach
Taylor	Blick	Dickinson College	Division III	Assistant Coach
Ariana	Cambio	Colby College	Division III	Assistant Coach
Erica	Erb	Amherst College	Division III	Assistant Coach
Sean	Hansen	University of Redlands	Division III	Assistant Coach
Allyson	Heavens	Rutgers University	Division I	Assistant Coach
Kelsey	Howard	Stanford	Division I	Assistant Coach
McKenna	Kincaid	Saint Leo University	Division II	Graduate Assistant Coach
MacKenzie	Plaskey	Florida State University	Division I	Associate Head Coach
Sharn	Muffett	University of South Florida	Division I	Assistant Coach
Madison	Mulligan	Ithaca College	Division III	Assistant Coach
Leah	Peppelman	George Washington University	Division I	Assistant Coach
Tatiana	Samuel	Kenyon College	Division III	Assistant Coach
Katherine	Yarusso	Widener University	Division III	Assistant Coach

 
 
"It was very exciting to participate in the virtual graduation ceremony for the Aspire participants and hear them reflect upon the experience they had as part of the inaugural cohort for the program," said Kelly Gallagher, IWLCA President and head coach at the University of Tampa. "One of the IWLCA's primary objectives is to support, engage, and educate our members, and the Aspire program did that and more. The pilot program was undoubtedly a success, and we can turn our focus to how we can expand the program to impact more coaches in upcoming years. On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, I'd like to extend our gratitude to Sarah and Julie from e.t.c. Coaching Consultants, who took the lead in devising and delivering the curriculum, and also to each of the participants in the program that put in the time and effort to not only better themselves professionally, but also to build a collaborative community that allowed them all to flourish."
 
"My experience as part of the inaugural cohort in the Aspire program was immensely valuable to my personal and professional development. It was special to be a part of a community that was made up of only assistant coaches, said Kelsey Howard, an assistant coach at Stanford University, who also serves as the IWLCA Treasurer. "There are challenges in any area of the coaching profession, but being with a group that faces similar challenges allowed us to bond in new and unique ways that I had never experienced before. I am grateful for the community that we have created to be able to continue to support each other as we keep working to improve our own coaching skillsets. I am also grateful for the tools and mentors that we were provided along the way, and I feel that I am now even more prepared and supported to continue my career path."