Shenandoah University Women's Lacrosse

Lutz came to SU after spending two seasons as the graduate assistant women's lacrosse coach at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. The Davidsonville, Md. native helped the Bearcats to 14 wins in 2007 and 2008 as the school made its transition from NAIA to NCAA Division III. Lutz, who is fourth women's lacrosse coach in Shenandoah history but the first to concentrate solely on lacrosse, replaced Lois Bowers at the helm of the Hornets. A 2006 graduate of former USA South Conference foe Methodist University, Lutz was standout player for the Lady Monarchs. She left the Fayetteville, N.C. school as the squad's all-time leading scorer, was a three-time All-USA South Conference selection and earned 2006 USA South Conference Player of the Year honors. She still holds Methodist records for goals, assists and points in a game. In May 2012, it was announced that Lutz has been selected for induction into the Methodist University Hall of Fame. She was formally inducted into the Hall in November, 2012. After graduating in 2006 with a Physical Education/Teacher Licensure degree, Lutz moved on to St. Vincent to pursue her graduate degree in Education. She graduated with that degree in August 2008. In her first season at the helm of the Hornets, Lutz led SU to a fourth place finish in the league and a spot in the USA South Tournament semi-finals for the first time in three years. In 2010, she piloted her squad to seven regular season wins and a school-record-tying third place finish in the USA South. Following the regular season, Lutz was named as the league's Coach of the Year. Lutz is the first SU women's lacrosse coach to earn this honor. As part of her secondary duties, Lutz is the department's advisor for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Under her direction in 2009-10, the SU SAAC raised the most money in both of the USA South Conference community service initiatives. This is the first time ever that the department 'won' both of the initiatives. Lutz and her husband, Jason, were married in August 2011. They reside in Frederick County and are parents of a girl, Elyse Catherine, and a boy, Owen William. *Until the 2013 season, Shenandoah University was member of the USA South Conference. In 2013, SU joined the ODAC.

Allison Washburn joined the Shenandoah Women's Lacrosse program as an Assistant Coach, bringing a wealth of competitive playing experience and a strong background in player development. Washburn specializes in coaching all field positions, with a particular expertise in training goaltenders and defensive units. In addition to her on-field coaching duties, she manages vital team logistics—including scheduling, gear and food orders, and Hudl film breakdown—while playing an active role in the recruiting process by identifying and evaluating prospective student-athletes. Beyond her direct coaching responsibilities, Washburn serves as a Gameday Administrator, overseeing scoreboard operations, supervising student game-day staff, and coordinating logistics for visiting teams. She is also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), advocating for student-athlete well-being and organizing campus-wide athletic events. During the summer months, Washburn remains deeply involved in youth development, serving as a camp coach for both the Georgia Tech Lacrosse Camp and Bill Pilat’s The Goalie School, where she designs goalie-specific curriculum focused on fundamentals, communication, and confidence. Prior to stepping into coaching, Washburn enjoyed a standout four-year playing career with the Berry College women's lacrosse team from 2020 to 2024. A natural leader, she served on the team's Leadership Team for three seasons, earned Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Defensive Player of the Week honors in April 2022, and was named to the SAA All-Tournament Team in May 2024. Her academic excellence was also recognized with an induction into the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. While at Berry, she also supported her fellow student-athletes as an Athlete Study Hall Proctor. She furthered her professional development by participating in the prestigious IWLCA ASPIRE Program from 2025 to 2026. A native of Haddonfield, New Jersey, Washburn graduated from Berry College in May 2024 with a dual degree: a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education (with an ESOL endorsement) and a Bachelor of Arts in English. She completed her Master of Science in Exercise and Sports Studies through a USCCA-accredited program at Smith College in May 2026.

Kara Phoubandith serves as the associate head women's lacrosse coach and compliance coordinator for Shenandoah University Athletics. Phoubandith joined the women's lacrosse staff in August, 2021. In October, 2022, she added the compliance coordinator title to her resume. In this latter role, she assists the department with the compliance/eligibility tasks within the department. Phoubandith (POOH-bandit) came to SU after serving as the head girl's lacrosse coach at Saint John's Catholic Prep in Buckeystown, Maryland since the fall of 2019. Prior to that, the 2019 Hood College grad was an assistant coach at Goucher College during the summer and fall of 2019. Phoubandith also has extensive club experience, most recently serving as the club director for Renegades Lacrosse Club in Frederick, Maryland. In this role, she oversaw eight youth and high school division teams while managing a team of 25 direct reports. With the Hornets, she is involved in all aspects of the program including practice and game management, player development, and academic monitoring. ###