Tampa Named IWLCA Coaching Staff of the Year

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. – The IWLCA has announced the 2025 National and Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year in Division I, II, and III. All three National Coaching Staff of the Year honorees earned a National Title this past season. All winners will be honored at the IWLCA Convention which is set to take place this November at the Tradewinds Resort in St. Pete Beach, FL.

The IWLCA Coaching Staff of the Year Award honors one National and multiple Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year from each NCAA Division and a National Coaching Staff of the Year from the NAIA. *Prior to the 2024 season, the IWLCA Board of Directors approved changing the name of this award to recognize the entire coaching staff, rather than individual coaches.

IWLCA National Coaching Staff of the Year – Division II

University of Tampa

After capturing the program's first-ever NCAA National Championship a season ago, the Spartans had another historic year. For the first time in program history, the team won back-to-back NCAA titles after defeating Adelphi University, 15-9, for the second consecutive season. Head Coach Kelly Gallagher and her staff (Assistant Coaches Elizabeth Gainer, Caili Guilday, and Samantha Pagliaccetti) posted an overall record of 21-1, which is the most wins ever in a single season in the program's history. The Spartans won the Sunshine State Conference for the fifth time and were crowned SSC tournament champions for the third consecutive season. Tampa had four student-athletes garner All-American honors, including two of whom were named as the IWLCA Attacker and Defender of the Year in Peyton Howell and Lexi Waters. Howell was also named as the IWLCA Player of the Year and was the NCAA Championships Most Outstanding Player.