Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Women's Lacrosse

Kristen Skiera completed her fourth season at the helm of the Hokies' lacrosse program in 2025. It is well-documented around Blacksburg and the country alike that she has Virginia Tech lacrosse headed in the right direction. In '25 the Hokies earned the program's best win under Skiera with an upset of 11th-ranked Syracuse at Thompson Field in April. That game was one of three ACC wins, earning the squad a top-eight finish in the nation's toughest lacrosse conference and a spot in the ACC Women's Lacrosse Championship. The season also saw two athletes, Lauren Render and Mia Pozzi earn All-Conference and All-Region honors. Render recorded 55 goals, the sixth-best tally for a single season in program history and also placed herself in the single-game record books with a seven-goal game and an eight-goal game. Through Skiera’s first four seasons with the Hokies, her squads have picked up four ranked wins against some of the nation's best programs including victories on the road at JMU and Duke and home triumphs over Notre Dame and Syracuse. The 2023 season saw Tech pick up its second ACC Tournament win in program history with a 12-goal triumph over Pitt before nearly pulling the upset of the year against No. 2 Syracuse in the quarterfinals. A trio of freshmen – Sarah Gresham, Ella Rishko and Jocelyn Torres – earned conference honors at the end of their rookie seasons in 2023 for their immediate impact. Gresham set the program’s single-season draw control record with 111, which le

Grace Weigand joined the Hokies in August of 2025 as an assistant coach. Weigand, a former standout athlete at Notre Dame, brings ACC experience, championship pedigree and experience working with young women from her time as a club team coach in addition to an internship with the athletic department in South Bend. “We are thrilled to welcome Grace to Virginia Tech as our newest assistant coach,” Skiera said Tuesday. “I have personally known Grace for just shy of a decade now and have admired the intensity and competitiveness she brought to the field as a student-athlete in the ACC while at Notre Dame. I feel lucky that I get to coach alongside her and witness the positive impact she brings as she kicks off her coaching career as Hokie.” Weigand, a defender, was one of the top players in the ACC and the country. During her senior season, she was a Tewaaraton Award Watch List member in the preseason and was also a team captain who earned second team All-ACC. In the postseason, she earned USA lacrosse All-American honorable mention status. The Denver, Colorado native has experience coaching with a variety of clubs including Urban Elite in Denver and Mad Dog Lacrosse in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. A well-rounded student-athlete, Weigand took advantage of a myriad of leadership opportunities while on campus at Notre Dame. Weigand was a Gold Standard Committee member, entrusted to ensure that the lacrosse team embodies the standards of sacrifice, unity, accountability, excellence, resp

Molly Dunphey was named an assistant coach by head coach Kristen Skiera in July of 2024 and completed her first season on staff in 2025. During the 2025 season, Dunphey's defense helped hold a potent Syracuse offense to just 11 goals in the program's biggest upset in years as the Hokies took down the 11th-ranked Orange at Thompson Field. Some standout performances from the defense came from Caroline Little who recorded 38 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers and Zoee Stencil registered 30 ground balls and 23 caused turnovers. Dunphey, a native of Ridgewood, N.J., wrapped up her collegiate career in the spring of 2024 with the Hokies following a four-year stint at Villanova. In four seasons of play, the defender appeared in 68 contests and made 65 starts. “I would like to thank Coach Skiera for this amazing opportunity,” Dunphey said of her appointment. “I am excited to be back at Virginia Tech after enjoying my time playing last season. The future is so bright for this team, and I cannot wait to be a part of it. Go Hokies!” A cornerstone of Virginia Tech’s defense that allowed just 11.06 goals per game (11.95 national average), Dunphey ranked second on the team in ground balls (27) and third in caused turnovers (16). While at Villanova, Dunphey served as a team captain in her senior season. During that 2023 campaign, she recorded 27 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers, while Villanova more than doubled its win total from the previous season. “I am incredibly proud to welcome

Shannon Jacobitti (formerly Gilroy) joined the Hokies in the summer of 2021 as the associate head coach, following a five-year stint with Kristen Skiera at Army. She just completed her fourth season with the Hokies. In 2025, Jacobitti mentored midfielder Mia Pozzi who earned All-ACC and All-Conference recognition after recording 37 goals and 17 assists on the season. She was also a member of the draw team, leading the squad with 51 draw controls. Working primarily with midfielders, Jacobitti was integral in Virginia Tech’s most successful season with draw controls in program history during the 2023 campaign. Freshman Sarah Gresham’s 111-mark broke Virginia Tech’s single-season draw control record, while sophomore Olivia Vergano eclipsed 106. The Hokies the only team last season in NCAA DI women’s lacrosse with two players with over 5.5 draw controls per game. Whitney Liebler led the squad in assists with 29, a total that ranks tied for third for a single season in program history. She scored 53 total points in 2022. For the first time since at least 2008, the Hokies' offense featured three athletes that scored 50 or more points as sophomore midfielder Sophie Student tallied 50 with 38 goals and 12 assists. Two Hokies had historic seasons on the draw circle with Student tallying 80 which is the sixth-most in a single season at VT and freshman Olivia Vergano's total of 73 ranks eighth. Jacobitti joined the Army West Point women’s lacrosse coaching staff in August 2016 and in ju