George Washington University Women's Lacrosse

Colleen McCaffrey was named the sixth head coach in GW lacrosse program history, Director of Athletics Tanya Vogel announced on July 6, 2022. In her first three seasons at the helm of the program, McCaffrey has guided the program to both an A-10 Championship appearance and to earn seven All-Conference recognitions. McCaffrey came to George Washington after most recently serving as an Associate Head Coach at Bryant for one season. McCaffrey helped lead the Bulldogs to their most successful season in program history, earning a share of the Northeast Conference regular-season title (12-5, 7-1 NEC) before advancing to the conference title game. McCaffrey coached nine All-NEC student-athletes at Bryant, including the NEC Offensive Player of the Year (Kenna Kaut) and the NEC Rookie of the Year (Jessica Colalillo). Before her time in Smithfield, McCaffrey spent five seasons as the offensive coordinator at the University of Virginia. She helped the Cavaliers to a 50-38 overall record and coached a pair of All-Americans as well as an ACC Freshman of the Year. McCaffrey is familiar with the District after serving as an assistant coach at American for four seasons (2013-16). In 2013, McCaffrey coached the Eagles to one of their most successful seasons in program history, including the team’s first-ever win over a nationally-ranked opponent. McCaffrey graduated from Johns Hopkins in 2012 with a degree in psychology. She was a two-time IWLCA All-Mid Atlantic first team selection and curre

Head Coach Colleen McCaffrey and GW lacrosse are pleased to announce the addition of Lauren Asher to the coaching staff ahead of the spring 2026 season. Asher joins the Buff & Blue following a highly successful three-year tenure at Division III powerhouse Gettysburg College, where she played a key role in the development of one of the nation’s top-ranked D-III programs. At Gettysburg, Asher worked primarily with the attack unit, goalkeepers and on the draw unit, helping guide the Bullets to three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a National Championship Finalist finish in 2023, a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2024 and a Final Four run in 2025. Throughout her tenure in Gettysburg, Pa., the Bullets also consistently appeared in the Top 10 national rankings. Asher’s contributions helped the Bullets’ coaching staff earn numerous accolades, including the 2024 Centennial Conference Coaching Staff of the Year and the 2025 IWLCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year. She also played a key role in mentoring multiple All-Conference, All-Region, and IWLCA All-America honorees. In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Asher spent over five years with NEMS Lacrosse Club, training some of the Mid-Atlantic’s top youth and high school talent. As a player at Winthrop University, Asher was a standout midfielder for the Eagles from 2019 to 2022. She served as a two-time team captain in 2021 and 2022, garnered three All-Conference selections and earned Big South All-Academ

Leah Peppelman was elevated to Associate Head Coach at GW in 2025 and is currently responsible for coordinating the defensive unit. Peppelman came to GW as the Assistant Coach from a head coach role at Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Fla., where she led the team in 2022 to the program’s first-ever national ranking and coached two players to an All-American nod, also a program first. From 2018-2022 she was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Embry-Riddle, helping the team to its first winning season in 2018. Prior to her time in the Sunshine State, Peppelman spent two years as the assistant coach and defensive coordinator at Albright College in Reading, Pa. Peppelman is a graduate of Lock Haven University with a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology and a Bachelor's in Sports Administration. She was selected to represent Lock Haven in the 2016 North vs. South All-Star game and was named an IWLCA Academic All-American in 2016. A native of West Chester, Pa., Peppelman’s father was a high school boys lacrosse coach for 30 years and her brother is currently involved in high school boys lacrosse in their hometown.

Zach Wittes joined GW in 2025 as an Assistant Coach, working primarily with the goalkeeping unit. A Georgia native, Zach was one of the original players for Thunder Lacrosse, now one of the premier club programs in the state, and was a four-year varsity letterman in high school. He later coached at Wheeler High School in Marietta, GA. Zach earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sport and Entertainment Management from the University of South Carolina and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Kentucky, with a focus on working with adolescents and young adults, using mindfulness-based strategies to support their mental well-being. He has worked across the sports and entertainment industry in experiential marketing, partnerships, and community engagement, and volunteers with the Boys & Girls Club, providing mentorship and academic support to kids and teens. Outside of lacrosse, Zach is an ultramarathon enthusiast who enjoys long-distance trail running and exploring the connection between sport and mental health.