Amanda O’Leary, an experienced coach who played the sport at its highest level, finished her ninth season at the helm of the Florida Gators in 2018 with the program’s eighth NCAA Tournament bid. O’Leary has turned her team into a national powerhouse since its inception in 2010. Hired to lead Florida’s inaugural lacrosse team on June 22, 2007, O’Leary had the opportunity to recruit and organize the program before the Gators began competition in the 2010 season. Her impressive career record of 310-101 (.754) ranks among the best of active head coaches in the nation. In nine seasons, she has taken Florida to an NCAA Final Four, five NCAA quarterfinal appearances, four BIG EAST regular season, four BIG EAST tournament titles, four American Lacrosse Conference regular season titles and two ALC tournament championships. She has also coached 17 Gators who have earned 59 All-America honors, four Tewaaraton Award finalists and two Honda Sports Award nominees.
The 2018 season was one for the record books for both O’Leary and the Florida program. She picked up her 300th career win after a 16-11 victory over Georgetown on March 24 – O’Leary is one of only five coaches in the history of DI women’s lacrosse to accomplish the feat (Navy’s Cindy Timchal – 497, Princeton’s Chris Sailer – 390, North Carolina’s Jenny Levy – 318, and Virginia’s Julie Myers – 307). The Gators went 17-4 en route to their first NCAA Quarterfinal since the 2014 season and won their fourth consecutive BIG EAST Tournament title. Florida also picked up its fourth-straight BIG EAST regular season championship after going 9-0 in conference play. The team set a program record for most goals scored with 343 and most caused turnovers (188). 2018 marked Florida’s sixth season with at least 17 wins in the nine-year history of the program. The Gators were the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they defeated No. 15 Colorado in the Second Round to advance to the first NCAA Quarterfinal since 2014. Florida traveled to No. 5 JMU and put up a tough fight before falling 11-8 to the Dukes. Seven Florida players were named IWLCA All-Region, the most in program history and four earned All-American honors (Haley Hicklen, Sydney Pirreca, Lindsey Ronbeck and Cara Trombetta). Three Gators won BIG EAST Awards: Shannon Kavanagh (Freshman of the Year), Sydney Pirreca (Midfielder of the Year), Haley Hicklen (Goalkeeper of the Year) and O’Leary was honored with the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.
“We believe Gator lacrosse has hit a home run with Amanda O’Leary. She knows what it takes to compete at the highest level and she has also enjoyed success as Yale’s head coach. She shares our vision for a successful program and I’m confident she will be conveying that message to the lacrosse community. Gator lacrosse is in great hands with Amanda O’Leary.”
Jeremy Foley
Former Athletics Director (1992-2016)
University of Florida
O’Leary came to UF from Yale, where she led the Bulldogs for 14 seasons. Yale set the school record for season wins with 14 in O’Leary’s second year (1995) and twice equaled that mark (1999 and 2003). She took Yale to two of its three NCAA Championship appearances, as the Bulldogs reached the 2003 quarterfinal round and the 2007 opening round. Yale finished among the Ivy League’s top three in 11 of her 14 years, which includes a share of the 2003 Ivy League title with Princeton and Dartmouth, as each posted identical 6-1 records in conference play. After leading Yale to a share of the Ivy League title and advancing to NCAA Championship play, O’Leary was named the 2003 Northeast Regional Coach of the Year. She also was recognized as the USWLA Regional Coach of the Year in 1996. Bulldog players have earned a total of 19 All-America honors under O’Leary.
During her playing career, O’Leary was a four-year starter for Temple’s lacrosse and field hockey teams. A two-time All-American in both sports, O’Leary led the Owl’s lacrosse team to a 19-0 record and the national championship in 1988. O’Leary was the Midfielder of the Year selection for the NCAA All-Tournament teams in 1987 and 1988 as well as the NCAA Most Valuable Player in 1988. Lacrosse Magazine also selected her as its 1988 Player of the Year. While suiting up with Temple’s field hockey team, O’Leary garnered 1986 and 1987 All-America honors and helped the Owls reach the NCAA semifinals in 1984.
*information gathered from https://floridagators.com/coaches.aspx?rc=688