Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Women's Lacrosse

Kristen Nicholson completed her fourth season as the head coach of the Kutztown University women's lacrosse program in 2025. The Golden Bears won a school-record games in back-to-back seasons, winning 13 in 2023 and 15 in 2024. Nicholson led a program turnaround with a nine-win improvement from 2022 to 2023. In 2023, Kutztown qualified for its first PSAC Championship tournament in the conference tournament era, advancing to the semifinals, earned its maiden berth in the NCAA Division II Championship tournament, entered the IWLCA national rankings for the first time and captured its first-ever wins over a nationally ranked opponent. KU followed in 2024 by advancing to the PSAC Championship Game and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year. Under her tenure, Nicholson has led 19 All-PSAC, 13 All-Region and nine All-America selections. Nicholson is ranked second in program history with 41 coaching wins. Kutztown broke into the IWLCA national poll May 1, 2023, after five consecutive weeks receiving votes, first appearing at No. 23. The Golden Bears jumped to 21st before the NCAA Tournament and finished the year ranked 18th. Nicholson's squad also rose as high as 14th in the Nike/USA Lacrosse DII Poll on May 8, 2023. Following the 2023 season, Sam Graf and Emma Meakim earned IWLCA All-America Third Team honors, becoming the program's first All-Americans since 1984. Nicholson was announced as the ninth head coach in Kutztown University women's lacrosse history on Aug. 3, 2021, after a successful seven-year stay at NCAA Division III Moravian College (now University).   She joined Moravian back in 2014 with the Greyhounds in the midst of a five-year hiatus from varsity play and spent the 2015 season leading the school’s club team, while vigorously recruiting a freshman class for a return to varsity competition in 2016.   Following two respectable seasons, Nicholson guided Moravian to its first winning season since 2008 --and second in its history-- with an 11-5 record in 2018. That started a run of four consecutive winning seasons for the Greyhounds and back-to-back appearances in the Landmark Conference semifinals (2018 and 2019).   Nicholson led Moravian to an ECAC Division III quarterfinals berth in 2017, signaling the program’s first-ever postseason game. In 2021, the Hounds defeated Elizabethtown College 15-12 in the Landmark quarterfinals for their first-ever postseason victory.   In six seasons with the Bethlehem-based school, Nicholson composed a 46-37 record (.554). She coached 11 All-Landmark student-athletes, two IWLCA All-Metro Region players, 2016 ECAC South Rookie of the Year Jillian Picciuto and 2019 Landmark Conference Player of the Year Liz Bill. Nicholson also had more than 40 representatives on the Landmark Academic Honor Roll since 2017.   Nicholson coached on Adrienne Carr’s staff at FDU-Florham, her alma mater, for three seasons prior to taking the reigns at Moravian. The Devils won 13 games and qualified for the postseason in each campaign. Nicholson was an assistant on FDU-Florham’s 2012 MAC Freedom championship team and led the program to a 13-8 record, its second straight conference title and a spot in the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament in 2013 while serving as interim head coach with Carr on maternity leave.   The former Kristen Schuster played for FDU-Florham from 2007-10, scoring 179 career points on 131 goals and 48 assists. She also totaled 77 ground balls and 60 draw controls. As a senior, Nicholson was elected a team captain and named All-Middle Atlantic Conference Second Team. She also led the Devils to the ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship and was named Most Valuable Player of the championship game.   FDU-Florham made postseason appearances in each of Nicholson’s four seasons as a student-athlete, winning the MAC championship in 2008 and receiving a berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.   Nicholson earned a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts from FDU-Florham in 2010 and later received her master's degree in sport management from the school. She currently resides in Milford, N.J., with her husband, David, and their son, Gavin.   KRISTEN NICHOLSON YEAR-BY-YEAR COACHING RECORD Overall Conference Year School Wins Losses Pct. Wins Losses Pct. Postseason & Honors 2013 FDU-Florham 13 8 .619 6 0 1.000 MAC Freedom Champions ECAC Mid-Atlantic Region Semifinals 2016 Moravian 6 10 .375 - - - 2017 Moravian 7 9 .438 1 5 .167 ECAC DIII Tournament First Round 2018 Moravian 11 5 .688 5 2 .714 Landmark Semifinals 2019 Moravian 12 6 .667 5 2 .714 Landmark Semifinals 2020 Moravian 4 2 .667 - - - 2021 Moravian 6 5 .545 5 3 .625 Landmark Semifinals 2022 Kutztown 4 13 .235 1 11 .083 2023 Kutztown 13 6 .684 9 3 .750 PSAC Semifinals NCAA DII Championship First Round 2024 Kutztown 15 6 .714 9 3 .750 PSAC Runner-Up NCAA DII Championship First Round 2025 Kutztown 9 8 .529 6 6 .500 Coaching Totals 1 Season FDU-Florham 13 8 .619 6 0 1.000 6 Seasons Moravian 46 37 .554 16 12 .571 4 Seasons Kutztown 41 33 .554 25 23 .521 11 Seasons 100 78 .562 47 35 .573 Updated 5/29/2025  

Tiffany Anderson is entering her sixth season as an assistant coach with the Kutztown University women's lacrosse team in 2026, after joining the program prior to the 2021 season. Anderson joined the Maroon and Gold in 2021 after two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at East Stroudsburg University. She remained with the program following Kristen Nicholson's appointment as head coach in 2022, with the duo quickly steering Kutztown in the right direction. The Golden Bears achieved its third straight winning season in 2025, as the team found success behind strong years from seniors Sam Graf and Lailah ElBouazzaoui, who concluded their careers as two of the greatest Golden Bear lacrosse players in program history. Anderson was part of a coaching staff that won a school-record games in back-to-back seasons, winning 13 in 2023 and 15 in 2024. KU repeated its 2023 success by advancing to the PSAC Championship Game and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year. Anderson helped guide the Golden Bears to a nine-win improvement from 2022 to 2023. Kutztown achieved many first-time milestones in 2023, including a PSAC Championship tournament victory in the conference tournament era, an NCAA Division II Championship tournament berth, a spot in the IWLCA national rankings, and its first win over a nationally ranked opponent.  The 2022 season served as a learning opportunity for both coaches and student-athletes, but 2023 was a clear indication of the potential the Bears possess going forward. KU improved its win total by nine -- the best single-season turnaround in team history -- and matched a program record with 13 victories (13-6). KU followed in 2024 with a school-record 15 wins and an appearance in the PSAC Championship Game. Kutztown clinched a spot in the 2023 PSAC Championship tournament for the first time in the conference tournament era, advancing to the semifinals. The Golden Bears also received their first-ever berth in the NCAA Division II Championship tournament, entered the IWLCA national rankings for the first time and collected their first two wins over a nationally ranked opponent. KU ended the season ranked 18th in the IWLCA Poll. During Anderson's first season on staff as a graduate assistant in 2019, East Stroudsburg posted a 15-6 overall record and 10-2 conference mark. The Warriors advanced to the second round of the NCAA DII Championship (Atlantic Region final) and recorded a program single-season record 290 goals. The team boasted three IWLCA All-Americans, five all-region honorees and five All-PSAC selections en route to a No. 16 ranking in the final IWLCA Poll -- East Stroudsburg's fourth consecutive top 20 finish. Anderson was a three-year starter for the Dragons of Tiffin University before graduating in 2018. In 60 career games from 2014-18, the native of East New Market, Md., amassed 22 goals, nine assists, 31 points, 80 ground balls, 58 caused turnovers and 55 draw controls. Anderson was an IWLCA Division II Senior All-Star and All-GLIAC honorable mention selection following a 20-goal, 8-assist campaign during her final season. Off the field, Anderson claimed a spot on the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team as a sophomore, junior and senior. She graduated from Tiffin with a bachelor's degree in sports and recreation management and received her master's degree in management and leadership in sport management from East Stroudsburg in 2020. Prior to her time on staff at ESU, Anderson gained three years of coaching experience with teams at Winter Meltdown and Endless Summer lacrosse camps in Cambridge, Md. Updated 11/19/25