The MAC Women's Coaching Symposium (MAC WCS) is developed for women aspiring to, or just beginning, a career in coaching. This program aims to enrich participants' skills, expand their professional network and promote the recruitment and retention of women coaching within intercollegiate athletics.
Participants gain knowledge from a variety of interactive discussion sessions during the one-day program. A variety of topics are explored. They will also network with peers, and MAC coaches and staff.
KEY DATES
Thursday, March 1, 2018 - Online
registration opens
Thursday, March 29, 2018 - Online registration closes
Monday, April 2, 2018 - Program materials distributed
Sunday, April 8, 2018 - Program date
The MAC WCS will take place in Reading, Pa. at Alvernia University's student center on Sunday, April 8, 2018.
ELIGIBILITY
Any current female student from a MAC member institution may participate (includes graduate students and non-student-athletes). Limited to the first 60 registrants.
COST OF ATTENDING
This program is free to up to 60 registrants, and includes program materials as well as meals. Participants are responsible for travel costs to and from the symposium.
REGISTRATION
Apply to be a participant in the 2018 MAC Women's Coaching Symposium
here.
Registration closes on Thursday, March 29, 2018.
WHAT PAST PARTICIPANTS HAVE SAID
I learned so much I didn't know about being a coach and all its components; how to prepare for an interview was so helpful!
- Makenzie Quinn, Alvernia (2015 participant)
The greatest takeaway from participating in the symposium was just knowing that these women have made it and therefore players like myself have a chance in the coaching world.
- Erin Dempsey, King's (2015 participant)
SYMPOSIUM AGENDA [PDF]
SYMPOSIUM MATERIALS
Crossing the Finish Line - How to Win at Interviewing [
pptx] [
PDF]
Developing Your Coaching Philosophy / Practice Planning & Time Management [
pptx] [
PDF]
- How to Develop Your Coaching Philosophy [docx] [PDF]
When Opportunity Comes, It's Too Late to Prepare [
key]
Cleats to Clipboard [
ppsm]
What Would You Do? Sportsmanship & Dealing with Parents [
docx] [
PDF]
Work Life Balance - Keeping Perspective through Growth [
docx] [
PDF]
- Coach Boswell's examples [docx] [PDF]
SYMPOSIUM LEADERS
Jackie Boswell - Stevenson University, Assistant Athletics Director / Assistant Director of Compliance / Head Women's Basketball Coach
Just completed her 7
th year as the Women's Basketball Coach at Stevenson University, where she is also an Assistant Athletic Director and as well as the Assistant Compliance Director. Prior to arriving at Stevenson she spent 10 years as the Athletic Director and Basketball and Softball Coach at Seton Keough High School in Baltimore, MD.
Boswell has presented and spoke at the WBCA convention on Leadership in 2010 and 2011, and once again at the convention on defense in 2015. Nationally Boswell has been a part of and coached at the USA Olympic Youth Festival in Colorado Springs in 2007 and won the first ever ESPN Rise Girls Basketball Tournament in 2009.
Boswell played four of basketball and softball at Virginia Wesleyan College from 1991-1995. She and her husband Tony have three daughters, Kayla 18, Elayna 16, Tessa 13. They reside in Hampstead, MD.
Sarah Brant - Albright College, Head Field Hockey Coach / Director of Athletic Marketing
Sarah Brant enters her seventh season as the head coach of Albright field hockey in 2018. She was named the head field hockey coach and director of athletic marketing at Albright in May 2012. Brant previously served as an assistant with the Lions for one season.
Brant continued her success in 2017 by leading the Lions to berths in the MAC Commonwealth and ECAC Tournaments with a 9-10 overall record and 4-3 record in conference play. She coached two players to earn All-MAC Commonwealth honors and goalkeeper Aileen Taylor tied the school record with six shutouts in a single season.
Brant, who came to Albright after one year as an assistant at Frostburg State University, is responsible for all day-to-day operations of the field hockey program while also spearheading the athletic department's marketing strategies.
During her time at Frostburg State, Brant was responsible for the recruitment of potential players, as well as attending various coaching seminars and camps. She was also responsible for the implementation of practice and game-day strategies for the Bobcats.
As a student-athlete, Brant was a four-year member of the national powerhouse and 2006 NCAA Division III national championship field hockey program at Ursinus. Throughout her four seasons in Collegeville, Brant helped the Bears to a combined 77-13 record, four Centennial Conference titles, and four NCAA tournament appearances.
Brant was also a four-year member of the Ursinus women's lacrosse program and served as team captain in her senior year. In 2009, she was named a Centennial Conference Second Team All-Conference honoree, while in her sophomore season she earned all-conference honorable mention recognition. Brant graduated from Ursinus in May of 2010 and earned her bachelor's of arts degree in French and Exercise and Sports Science. She earned her master's degree in Education at Albright in 2016.
Jackie Dando - Lebanon Valley College, Head Women's Lacrosse Coach
Jackie Dando enters her sixth season at the helm of LVC's women's lacrosse team in 2018, after guiding the Dutchmen to yet another postseason berth in 2016. LVC went 5-11 in 2016 but came out of the MAC Commonwealth with a solid 5-3 mark, good enough to make the Tournament for the fifth-consecutive season. Emma Jones, Makenzie Kelley and Jen Eck were all named to the All-Conference First Team, while rookie goalie Hannah Oliveras earned Honorable Mention.
Dando was introduced as head coach on July 30, 2012, and in her first season led LVC to a 13-5 record, an appearance in the Commonwealth Conference semifinals, and the program's first hardware with an ECAC Tournament victory.
A four-year starter and two-time all-conference selection at Messiah from 2006 to 2009, Dando worked as an assistant coach at Villanova in 2012 and an assistant at Haverford in 2010 and 2011. She is no stranger to the top of the conference, having led Messiah to a pair of MAC titles and NCAA appearances as a student-athlete.
At Haverford, Dando started her coaching career and helped guide the Fords to a 13-5 record in 2010 - the program's highest single-season wins total. They advanced to the Centennial Conference semifinals and repeated in 2011 with a 10-7 overall record. Dando followed head coach Julie Young from Haverford to Villanova for the 2012 season, and the Wildcats finished 4-12 (2-6 Big East) for the best record in the program's short history.
Dando graduated from Messiah with a journalism degree in 2009, where she was a four-year starter and two-year captain at midfield. A two-time all-conference selection, she helped lead the Falcons to their first two MAC championships and NCAA tournament appearances in program history. She was a two-time Academic All-American and graduated eighth all-time with 115 goals and seventh with 44 assists. Dando is a native of West Chester, Pa., graduating from B. Reed Henderson High School.
Caitlin Hadzimichalis - King's College, Head Women's Basketball Coach
After seven years as King's assistant coach, Caitlin Hadzimichalis was named head coach on July 18, 2016. Prior to being named to the top spot, Hadzimichalis had been involved in all aspects of the program, including recruiting, scouting, game-planning, film editing and review, and positional skill-work and player development.
In addition, Hadzimichalis was involved with student-athletes from many different sports at King's as a part of the College's Special Olympics Basketball Program as well as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Coach Hadzimichalis came to King's in 2009-10 after concluding an outstanding collegiate career at Marywood University in Scranton, Pa.
As a women's basketball player, Hadzimichalis was a four-year letter-winner and three-year team captain, earning team most valuable player honors in 2006 and 2008. She was also named to the 2008 Colonial States Athletic Conference Sportsmanship Team. Hadzimichalis concluded her Marywood basketball career with 868 points, 376 rebounds, 215 assists, and 175 steals.
As a field hockey player, she was team captain 2006 through 2008 and was a first-team All-Pennsylvania Athletic Conference selection 2007 and a Colonial States Athletic Conference first-team choice in 2008. Hadzimichalis, who was the Marywood team most valuable player in 2008, was a two-time CSAC Sportsmanship Team selection in field hockey in 2007 and 2008 as well as a Dr. Farr Award recipient for field hockey excellence in 2006 and 2007. Hadzimichalis also made her presence felt on the softball team where she served as team captain in 2007 and 2008 while earning second-team CSAC honors as a senior. Hadzimichalis was a Marywood Pacer Scholar-Athlete Award recipient in 2007-08 and 2008-09, while earning the college's Co-Senior Student-Athlete of the Year award in 2009. Additionally, she was the Colonial States Athletic Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2009.
Stacey Hollinger - Lebanon Valley College, Associate Athletic Director / Senior Woman Administrator / Compliance Officer
Stacey Hollinger is entering her 10th year as an assistant director of athletics at Lebanon Valley College after being promoted to the position of associate director of athletics in the spring of 2016. As associate director of athletics, her primary duties involve working as LVC's NCAA compliance coordinator. She is also the College's deputy Title IX administrator.
Moving forward, she will now oversee department wide assessment and data collection, budget management, coordination of facilities and athletic events, scheduling and contracts, and serve as the department's senior women's administrator. After 19 incredibly successful years at the helm of the softball program, Hollinger is Lebanon Valley's all-time winningest, and was the program's longest-tenured, softball coach.
During her 18-year career, Hollinger built LVC into a national contender, winning four MAC Commonwealth Championships and guiding the Dutchmen to five NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. The eight-time MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year is LVC's all-time wins leader (428), having produced 68 all-conference honorees, including eight MAC Commonwealth Players and Pitchers of the Year.
Finshing with a career record of 428-304-1 at LVC, Hollinger is also the program's all-time winningest coach by a wide margin. Hollinger guided Lebanon Valley to unprecedented success over the last decade, during which time the program has won all four of its conference championships and made five trips to the NCAA Tournament. Hollinger, who also served as an assistant field hockey coach at LVC from 1994-2005, coached softball for two years at Franklin & Marshall College before coming to the Valley. Prior to her stint at F&M, Hollinger was an assistant coach for both Millersville's softball and field hockey teams from 1989-1994.
Hollinger distinguished herself as a softball and field hockey standout at Millersville University, where she was a first-team regional all-American softball player in 1986 and 1987. Hollinger earned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference all-star honors in softball and still is ranked among Millersville's top 10 as a career .343 hitter and .978 fielder. In field hockey, Hollinger was a member of the 1989 Millersville squad that finished second in the country. She also helped the Marauder field hockey squad to four straight NCAA tournament appearances. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in education and mathematics in 1989. She resides in Lancaster, Pa.
Greta Martikainen-Watcke - Albright College, Head Cross Country Coach
Greta Martikainen-Watcke has been the Head Men's & Women's Cross Country Coach at Albright College since 2015. M-W is also the Mid/Distance Coach for Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field at Albright. During her time as a student at Ursinus College, M-W was a varsity athlete for Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field (four years), and Cross Country (three years). Not only was M-W a three-season varsity athlete at Ursinus, but she also excelled off of the track, graduating in 2011 with Honors in English and Honors in Creative Writing.
Since arriving at Albright in 2015, Coach M-W has increased roster size 500% and created a sustainable future for the Cross Country program. Community philanthropy, academic merit, and athletic success have become cornerstones of her tenure at Albright.
In 2017, M-W received certification from USA Track & Field as a Cross Country Specialist. In addition to coaching at Albright, M-W works full-time at Elite Sportswear as a Recruiter focused on Talent Acquisition. As the foremost manufacturer of competitive gymnastics, cheer, and swim performance apparel, Elite is known as the Choice of Champions and outfits USA Gymnastics' National Team. Elite has exclusive, branded lines for Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez, Nastia Liukin, Cirque du Soleil, Disney, Trolls & Minions, and MARVEL. Elite's family of brands include GK & Under Armour Gymnastics, Dreamlight Gymnastics, GK & Under Armour Cheer, Omni Cheer, Twisted Choreography, and Dolfin Swimwear.
Amy Sokaitis - Lebanon Valley College, Head Women's Basketball Coach
Amy Sokaitis enters her fourth season at the helm of Lebanon Valley College's women's basketball program in 2017-18.
Sokaitis arrived in Annville from NCAA Division II program Southern Connecticut State University, where she spent three years as the top assistant coach. She is Lebanon Valley College's 11th head coach in the NCAA Division III era. Sokaitis began her coaching career as an assistant at Yale University, where she spent two seasons.
A native of Fairbanks, Alaska, Sokaitis starred at point guard for Monroe Catholic, helping lead the Rams to a pair of state titles and four regional crowns. She played her collegiate ball at NCAA Division II Western State in Colorado. Coaching runs in her family - her father, Al, is the head men's coach at Post University in Connecticut and has had a long and successful career at Western State, Alaska Fairbanks, Southern Maine, and North Adams State.
Since 2005, she has remained active in her home state as a clinician with the Challenge Life Youth Foundation, operating camps and clinics throughout the Arctic Slope of Alaska. The foundation promotes athletic participation and healthy lifestyle lessons to the region's youth, working with communities and schools to mentor students to increase graduation rates and college attendance.
Sokaitis earned her bachelor's degree in sports management from Western State in 2009 and a master's degree in Management of Sports Industries from the University of New Haven in 2011.
Alex Stambaugh - Lebanon Valley College, Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach
Alexandra Stambaugh joined Lebanon Valley's women's lacrosse coaching staff for the 2018 season. Stambaugh recently completed her career at Division I Monmouth University where she served as Community Service Committee Chair, organizing various volunteer events over her four years. She finished her playing career with 28 goals, 18 assists, and 17 ground balls. As a senior, Stambaugh was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma at Monmouth, which recognizes high academics and athletic achievements.
The Harrisburg native attended Central Dauphin East High School, leading her women's lacrosse squad to their first PIAA Districts appearance. She had a successful high school career in both lacrosse and field hockey, earning a varsity starting spot all four years, being appointed captain for each sport, as well as being named MVP each year. Stambaugh was recognized each year on the All-Conference teams for field hockey and lacrosse, as well as being placed on the PennLive "Big 11" team. As a senior at CD East, she was named the "Female Athlete of the Year" after leading all women's lacrosse players in Pennsylvania with 134 goals. She ended her four-year career with 256 tallies.
Stambaugh coaches a local lacrosse club, Black Dog, and will be assisting Coach Dando with LVC's attacking unit as well as recruitment.
Logan Stroman - Widener University, Head Men's and Women's Cross Country / Track & Field Coach
Logan Stroman began his duties as the head coach of the women's cross country and track & field programs in October 2016. He was most recently an assistant coach at Lebanon Valley for the past three years. At Lebanon Valley, Stroman worked with all six of the track & field and cross country programs with an emphasis on overseeing the sprinters, middle distance and distance runners as well as the jumpers. He also developed and implemented a strength and conditioning program for the sprinters, jumpers and distance competitors.
Prior to Lebanon Valley, Stroman coached in the same capacity on the scholastic level with the track & field programs at Chaska High School in Minnesota for two seasons. He helped the teams combine to break eight school records, and the boys team he previously ran for placed as high as ninth at the Minnesota State High School League Championships.
Stroman was also a standout student-athlete and former NCAA Division I All-American at the University of Minnesota, winning four Big Ten team titles with the Gophers and an NCAA bronze medal as part of its indoor distance medley relay group in 2010. He specialized in running the 400, 600 and 800-meter distances as well as the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.
A native of Chaska, Minnesota, Stroman earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology with a minor in coaching from Minnesota in 2011 as well as a master's in applied kinesiology from the same institution in 2013. Furthermore, he is a USA Track & Field Level 1 certified coach and a certified strength & conditioning specialist by the National Strength & Conditioning Association.
Marie Stroman - Middle Atlantic Conference, Associate Executive Director
Marie (Godwin) Stroman was named Coordinator of MAC 100 in July 2011 and became Assistant Executive Director in July 2013. Her title was elevated to Associate Executive Director in October 2015. She is responsible for implementing special events including overseeing all aspects of the MAC cross country, individual tennis, swimming, golf, track & field, and wrestling championships. She also coordinates the START and MAC SAAC programs, and conference technology. Starting September 2014 Marie began a four-year term on the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Committee.
Before assuming this position, Marie was the Head Volleyball Coach and Program Coordinator at Classic Athletics in Chanhassen, Minnesota. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Educational Studies from Macalester College in 2010 and a Master of Education in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership from the University of Washington in June 2014.
As a former volleyball student-athlete, Marie served as chair of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee while also serving on the NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct. She was a two-year captain and four-year starter for the Fighting Scots and voted team MVP her senior season. Originally from Chaska, Minn., Stroman now resides in Phoenixville, Pa. with her husband, Logan, and dog, Stout.
Kelly Wakeman - Widener University, Head Women's Soccer Coach
Kelly Wakeman begins her duties as the new head women's soccer coach at Widener University in May 2017. She comes to the institution after most recently serving as the head coach at Ursinus College for the past five years.
Wakeman guided the Bears to consecutive semifinal appearances in the Centennial Conference Tournament in 2014 and 2015. The program also registered a 21-13-3 record overall, including a 13-5-2 ledger in conference play, during that span and produced 12 all-conference selections over her five years as head coach.
Prior to her arrival at Ursinus, Wakeman was the head women's soccer coach for Montgomery College in Maryland. She led the team to unparalleled success between 2007 and 2011. The program won the 2011 NJCAA Division III National Championship and was nationally ranked during four of her five seasons.
Wakeman also spent one year as an assistant coach at Muhlenberg College and worked primarily with the goalkeepers. Her other coaching experiences include serving as an assistant at Whitehall High School, Easton Area High School, and Bethlehem Catholic High School as well as with numerous club programs in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
A four-year letterwinner as a goalkeeper on the women's soccer team at Moravian College, Wakeman graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the institution in 2004 before earning her Master's degree in Education at Edinboro University in 2014. She also holds an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma as well as an NSCAA Level II Regional Goalkeeping Diploma.
Chris Wilson - Alvernia University, Head Women's Soccer Coach
Coach Wilson joined the Alvernia Women's Soccer prior to the 2016 season. During his first season with the Golden Wolves, the team won six games and finished sixth in the MAC Commonwealth Conference.
Outside of coaching Alvernia soccer, Wilson is involved with the Pennsylvania Classics AC/US Developmental Academy and the EPYSA Olympic Development Program. Coach Wilson has also earned professional coaching licenses from Brazil, Holland, Germany, and Italy, and completed International Professional Club internships in eight different countries. Wilson also holds the National Soccer Coaches Association Premier Diploma along with many athletic certifications, including Strength and Conditioning specializations.
Coach Wilson earned both his bachelor's degree in sports management, fitness and wellness and his master's degree in exercise science performance enhancement from California University of Pennsylvania.
Rob Wingert - Misericordia University, Head Men's and Women's Volleyball Coach
Robert Wingert has been named the head coach of the men's and women's volleyball teams at Misericordia University. A graduate of Stevenson University, Wingert served as the graduate assistant of the women's team during the 2016 season. He led the Mustangs to the NCAA Division III Final Four as a senior and was a second-team AVCA All-American.
Wingert earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and was named to the CoSIDA All-District All-Academic team. In addition, he was a finalist for the D-III Setter of the Year as a senior. A four-year member of the men's volleyball program at Stevenson, Wingert led the Mustangs to two ECAC championships, one Continental Volleyball Conference championship.
Wingert was a two-time first-team all-state selection at Holy Redeemer High School. He has worked numerous volleyball camps throughout the east coast and regularly competes at the semi-professional level both for indoor volleyball and grass/beach doubles in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Jada Pierce, Niagara University, Head Women's Basketball Coach
Jada Pierce, who has 21 years of collegiate coaching experience at the Division I and II levels, will enter her fourth season as head coach of the Niagara University women's basketball program in 2018-19.
In 2018-19, Pierce led the Purple Eagles to the most conference wins since the 2014-15 season, finishing 9-9 in the MAAC. Following the regular season, forward Victoria Rampado was named the MAAC Player of the Year and Pierce also landed two on all-conference teams: Rampado was a unanimous selection to the All-MAAC First Team and Kaylee Stroemple was selected to the All-MAAC Third Team. Eight Purple Eagles were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
The Purple Eagles played one of the most difficult non-conference schedules in the country in 2016-17. Niagara opened the season with a 65-43 win over Little 3 rival St. Bonaventure, the teams' first victory over the Bonnies since 2006. Niagara faced two nationally ranked teams, welcoming then-No. 6/5 Maryland to the Gallagher Center on Nov. 20 and playing at then-No. 20/19 Syracuse on Dec. 10. Following the 2016-17 season, Victoria Rampado was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and six players were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
Pierce earned her first win as coach of the Purple Eagles, as well as her first win in the Gallagher Center, on Nov. 27, 2015 in a thrilling 73-72 victory over Cleveland State. She picked up her first conference win against Fairfield; Niagara defeated the Stags, 56-55, on Jan. 4, 2016. Pierce also led the team in an upset against local rival Canisius in the first round of the MAAC Tournament; the ninth-seeded Purple Eagles defeated the eighth-seeded Golden Griffins, 65-64, to move onto the quarterfinals and take on top-seeded Quinnipiac. Following the 2015-16 season, senior center Sam Lapszynski, who thrived under Pierce, was named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Lapszynski was also one of 20 student-athlete recipients of the 14th Annual Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association Scholar Athlete Teams. All seven eligible members of the 2015-16 Purple Eagles' squad were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
Pierce has built a reputation as a dynamic player developer while creating effective defensive schemes throughout her coaching career with stops as an assistant at programs in the Atlantic 10, Patriot League, Northeast Conference, MAAC and America East as well as head coaching experience at the Division II level.
Pierce has coached 27 all-conference players, three defensive players of the year, one player of the year, 37 all-academic honorees, two WNBA players and assisted four programs to five NCAA Tournament berths.
Pierce arrives to Niagara University from Saint Joseph's University where she served as an assistant coach for three seasons. Pierce was a part of a winning program at Saint Joe's where the Hawks made two NCAA Tournament Appearances (2013, 2014), won two Philadelphia Big 5 titles (2014, 2015) and won the 2013 Atlantic 10 Tournament.
At Saint Joe's Pierce was involved in on-the-floor coaching at individual workouts, practices and games, was responsible for point guard development, and assisted in all aspects of recruiting. Pierce coached the 2012-13 Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Year Chatilla van Grinsven, who signed with the WNBA's Connecticut Sun in 2013, and played a strong role in the success of guards Natasha Cloud (drafted by the Washington Mystics in the 2015 WNBA Draft) and Erin Shields (two-time A-10 All-Conference honoree and two-time I-AAA scholar-athlete).
Prior to Saint Joe's, Pierce served as an assistant at the United States Military Academy at West Point (2010-12), Mount St. Mary's (2009-10), University of Massachusetts (2007-09), Marist (2006-07), Massachusetts-Lowell. (2001-04), and the University of Delaware (1999-2001).
Pierce gained head coaching experience at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, an NCAA Division II program, from 2004-2006. During her tenure with the Wolves, Pierce had six players garner scholar-athlete honors, with one player earning all-conference accolades, while coaching the conference leader in rebounds and blocks.
Pierce played collegiately at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Playing for the Golden Rams from 1992-97, she helped West Chester to the program's first NCAA Division II Tournament berth as a senior co-captain during 1996-97 season. A two-sport standout at Central High School, Pierce was a four-year letterwinner on the court, earning Philadelphia Public League All-Star honors as a sophomore and junior (1990, 1991) and First Team Philadelphia All-Public League honors in 1992. Averaging 21 points per game as a senior, she set Central's all-time scoring record, while her only season on the track and field squad saw her earn All-Public League honors in the high jump. Pierce became the first female be inducted into the Central High School Athletic Honor Roll in 2001.
FUTURE DATES
The MAC Women's Coaching Symposium is held every other academic year. The next MAC WCS will take place in fall 2019.
October 2015 MAC Women's Coaching Symposium page
February 2014 MAC Women's Coaching Symposium page