Phillylacrosse.com Posted 9/8/24 – From Press Releases
William & Mary announced this summer that Kelyn Freedman (Radnor) was named head coach and Katie Lasater (Great Valley, Cabrini) was added as an assistant coach.
Freedman – the Phillylacrosse.com, Player of the Year for the state champion Raptors in 2010 – comes to Williamsburg following stops at Towson, Georgetown, George Washington and Niagara. She played collegiately at Georgetown where she was a captain and an All-BIG EAST and all-region midfielder.
“After a comprehensive search, we selected Kelyn to lead our women’s lacrosse program,” said Brian D. Mann, Director of Athletics. “She has excellent experience at institutions with high academic standards and she is committed to building a championship program in the CAA and beyond. Kelyn understands both the W&M culture and what it takes to win, and I am excited to welcome her to William & Mary.”
“The prestige of the university and the enormous potential of the lacrosse program attracted me to William & Mary,” said Freedman. “The student-athletes have a great culture, and they want to win and to work. I’m looking forward to getting to Williamsburg!”
Last season, Freedman served as an assistant coach in the CAA at Towson and helped the Tigers produce three All-CAA selections and a CAA All-Rookie Team pick.
Freedman spent four years on staff at her alma mater Georgetown, rising to the level of associate head coach. During her time with the Hoyas, she coached 17 All-BIG EAST players, including nine first team selections, three Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coach’s Association (IWLCA) All-South honorees and one All-American. Freedman helped Georgetown to a pair of BIG EAST Tournaments, appearing in the championship game in 2022.
Her previous coaching stints included three seasons at George Washington, working with the defense, and at Niagara as an assistant coach. At Niagara, she coached the defense and transition strategy, helping the Purple Eagles finish with the third-most wins in program history. At GW, she coached three All-Atlantic-10 selections and four all-rookie team picks. In 2018, the Revolutionaries won nine games, which is the fourth most in school history.
Freedman earned her undergraduate degree from Georgetown in marketing and management, where she played four seasons for the Hoyas. She captained the team and was a two-time First Team All-BIG EAST and an IWLCA Second Team All-South Region midfielder during her playing career from 2011-2014. She ranks among the program’s career leaders in points (120), goals (98) and draw controls (135). In her time at Georgetown, her teams appeared in two NCAA Tournaments.
Freedman was a two-sport athlete at Georgetown. She was a member of the Georgetown women’s basketball team during her senior season in 2013-14. Freedman started her time at Niagara on the women’s basketball team as a graduate student in 2014-15, before earning her master’s degree in sports management in 2016.
At Radnor, Freedman amassed 90 goals, 111 assists, 103 groundballs, 106 draw controls, 48 caused turnovers and 15 interceptions in her senior year, leading the Raptors to a 26-1 record and a second straight PIAA championship (that season was only the second that the PIAA sanctioned championship games). Overall, Freedman, a four-year starter, had 217 goals, 219 assists, 436 points, 283 draw controls, 210 groundballs and 125 caused turnovers.
The post-season honors have piled up higher than Freedman’s trophy case could fit. Freedman was named a US Lacrosse All-American for the third straight year, was named Academic All-American and Under Armour All-American and was selected as the MaxPreps Player of the Year.
Freedman also was named MVP while helping Team Philly win the Senior Division at the US Lacrosse National Tournament Memorial Day Weekend. Lastly, she was MVP at the recent Vail Shootout in the U-19 scholastic division while playing for the Heather Leigh Albert squad that placed second. She also will play next week in the US Lacrosse Champion Showcase at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Lasater will be instrumental in all areas of the program, her primary responsibilities will include serving as the offensive coordinator.
“I am very excited for Katie to join our staff,” Freedman said. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and an extensive amount of experience to the sideline. Her ability to connect with players and teach the game will be a tremendous asset to the team.”
Lasater joins the Tribe’s staff after impressive tenures as an assistant coach with multiple successful programs, most recently at Bucknell University.
“I’m super excited to be here at W&M and to be working with Kelyn,” Lasater said. “Her vision for the program is very impressive and I can’t wait to be a part of it!”
As an assistant at Bucknell in 2023, Lasater was instrumental in the development of multiple All-Patriot League standouts. Additionally, the Bison excelled in the classroom as 29 standouts garnered Patriot League Academic Honor Roll distinction.
Prior to her time at Bucknell, she served as an assistant at Washington & Lee University in 2022. En route to helping lead the Generals total a school-record-tying 19 wins, the squad captured the ODAC regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals. Additionally, six W&L standouts earned all-conference honors, highlighted by the ODAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Lasater’s coaching resume also includes working as an assistant at Kutztown University (2018-21), Arcadia University (2017-18) and with Philly Blast Lacrosse Club (2017-present).
A standout attacker at Cabrini, Lasater finished her collegiate playing career with 126 points, 94 goals and 32 assists. She led the Cavaliers to four consecutive league championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, while she was honored as the MVP of the 2016 Colonial State Athletic Conference championship game. She was also selected to the CSAC All-Academic Team.
A native of Malvern, Lasater earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing with minors in sports management and finance from Cabrini in 2016.
