BALTIMORE-- UMBC women's lacrosse head coach
Amy Slade announced the elevation of current assistant coach
Alex Benedict to associate head coach, Slade announced on Wednesday. Benedict has been on the coaching staff at UMBC for the past nine seasons.
"Alex has been with our program for a while now and she has shown growth and commitment to the program and what we are trying to achieve. She is an amazing asset to the UMBC Women's Lacrosse program and she is very deserving of the promotion."Â
Benedict is in charge of recruiting and oversees academics for the program. The Retrievers finished the 2020-21 season with a 3.58 grade point average, the highest of any women's lacrosse program in the America East.Â
Benedict has worked with draw control and goalkeepers in recent years, where the Retrievers have seen success. Benedict has worked with Megan Halczuk who was named to the IWLCA All-Region Second Team in 2021 after becoming the first Retriever in program history to record 100 draws in a single season with 104. Halczuk also broke the single-game record with 14 draw controls against Binghamton on April 24, 2021.
In 2019, Benedict helped coach midfielders Brittany Levine and Catherine Sims to America East All-Conference First and Second team honors, respectively, while also seeing the two seniors participate in the IWLCA North-South All-Star Game.
During the 2018 season, midfielder Carolyn Jamison was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team before being selected to the IWLCA North-South All-Star Game after helping UMBC to its second-straight season of double-digit wins (11).
In 2017, the Retriever defense was staunch as they limited 10 of their 17 opponents to 10 goals or less. UMBC had five players - Sam Nolan, Carolyn Jamison, Kayla Renehan, Lauren McDonald, and Sara Moeller - named to the America East All-Conference Team. Renehan became the first defender named to the all-conference team since Jamie Fahey back in 2013. The Retrievers also made a third-straight appearance in the America East tournament for the first time since the 2010-12 seasons, and posted an 11-6 overall record and a 4-2 mark in conference play.Â
In 2016, the Retrievers made their second consecutive appearance in the America East Championship and saw junior Sam Nolan and sophomore Carolyn Jamison named to the America East All-Conference Team. In 2015, the Retrievers returned to the America East Tournament for the first time since 2012, posting an 8-9 overall mark and a 3-3 record in America East play. The Retrievers had three players earn postseason recognition in senior Abby Wilson (America East Second Team), junior Megan Flock (All-Academic Team) and freshman Tianna Wallpher (All-Rookie Team).Â
In her first season with the Retrievers, the Dawgs had three players earn postseason awards. Senior defender Jamie Fahey received America East All-Conference First Team honors for the third consecutive season and was named to her first America East All-Academic Team. Midfielders Kristen Bilney and Alyssa Semones were recognized to the first and second teams,respectively.
Benedict, a former two-time All-America Second Team honoree, played four seasons with the Vanderbilt women's lacrosse program. During her time with the Commodores, the former Alex Mundy earned First Team All-Conference and First Team Regional All-American honors, while helping VU to an Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Top-15 National Ranking all four seasons and appeared in four straight National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournaments. Benedict graduated in 2010 from Vanderbilt with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and political science, as well as a minor in managerial studies with a concentration in corporate strategy.
Following her playing career and a brief stint outside of athletics, Benedict returned to the field, serving as an assistant coach at Yale for one season. While with the Bulldogs, she took on responsibilities such as team defensive coordinator, community service coordinator, alumni communications coordinator, equipment coordinator and co-recruiting coordinator.
Benedict graduated with a Masters of Public Policy degree from UMBC with a focus in public management in the spring of 2015.
