By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/17/25
Mandy Pittenger has stepped down after four seasons as head coach at Coatesville girls’ lacrosse.
Pittenger built a struggling Coatesville program into a competitive squad. She inherited a team that won only four games in 2019 and guided the Red Raiders to a 7-10 season in 2021 (the 2020 season was lost due to the pandemic). In her four years, the Red Raiders were 12-8 in non-league games. Coatesville was also recognized as the region’s Most Improved Team (2022) by the PA Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association, while in later years also nearly upsetting powers Downingtown West (2023) and Academy of Notre Dame (2024).
Pittenger, who also stepped down after 3 years as Coatesville’s field hockey coach, helped build her program at the youth level, by establishing a girls’ youth lacrosse program in Coatesville 9 years ago. Harnessing assistance and grants from both the PLA and PAGLA, Coatesville Girls Youth Lacrosse (CYL) was established and the girls (K-8th grade) in Coatesville and surrounding areas in Southern Chester County were finding a love of lacrosse.
Pittenger’s team earned top recognition from the Philadelphia Women’s Lacrosse Umpires Association (PWLUA Carolyn Stuetz Sportsmanship Award) in 2022. While building a more competitive schedule season after season, Pittenger and her athletes continued to set a tone with three consecutive Ches-Mont Sportsmanship Awards, and many players being awarded All-League status and numerous collegiate commits.
The 2024 Red Raider squad saw all five of its seniors signed to compete at the collegiate level, and currently, nearly 20 lacrosse and field hockey commits (D1, DII, and DIII) are making their mark at the next level.
Pittenger noted that she is grateful for all of the relationships and support coaching and representing Coatesville has provided and gives sincere gratitude to the Coatesville community for her inspiring journey.
“Through our incredible rise, resilience, and every recognition, my deepest love and praise will always go to the athletes, the warriors — who season after season put in the work, found inspiring confidence in their abilities, and branded our program with an unmatched pride and relentless spirit,” she said.
“At the end of the day the scoreboard fades, but the Red Raider lacrosse culture we built — our character, reputation and rise as the team who always comes to compete, will remain etched on my heart.”
