Rachel Shuck Whitten enters her sixth season as head coach of the Coastal Carolina women's lacrosse program in 2027 after guiding the Chanticleers through one of the most successful five-year stretches in program history, highlighted by the program's first ASUN Tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024.
Since arriving in Conway in August 2021, Whitten has compiled a 50-42 record at Coastal Carolina with a 118-91 mark in 12 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Under her leadership, the Chanticleers have qualified for the ASUN Championship Tournament in each of her first five seasons and have established themselves as one of the ASUN Conference's top programs.
Whitten was named the 2024 ASUN Coach of the Year after guiding Coastal Carolina to a school-record 14 wins, a runner-up finish in the ASUN regular-season standings, and the conference tournament title. The championship season marked a historic breakthrough for the program and secured the Chanticleers' first appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
During her tenure, Coastal Carolina student-athletes have earned 16 All-ASUN selections, including nine first-team honorees and seven ASUN All-Freshman Team selections. Whitten has coached some of the most decorated players in program history, including ASUN Players of the Year Kayla Downey (2023) and Sydney McClure (2025), two-time ASUN Midfielder of the Year Avery McIlwaine (2023, 2024), and ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year Charlotte Sadler (2025).
Her teams have also excelled in the classroom, producing 23 Academic All-ASUN selections. In 2023, the Chanticleers established program single-season records for goals (290), assists (151), and points (441) while posting a 12-7 record and tying for third in the ASUN standings.
Prior to Coastal Carolina, Whitten spent nine years building the women's lacrosse program at Furman University after being named the program's first head coach in May 2012. In seven seasons of competition, she compiled a 68-49 record, guided the Paladins to six Southern Conference Tournament semifinal appearances and three championship game appearances, and led Furman to its first Southern Conference regular-season championship in 2021. That season, Whitten earned Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Paladins to a 12-5 record and an unbeaten conference campaign.
During her tenure at Furman, Whitten coached 21 All-Southern Conference selections, including eight SoCon All-Freshman Team honorees. In 2021, Furman swept the league's major awards as Hannah Demis was named Offensive Player of the Year, Avery Whitehead earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, and Meagan Beal was selected as Freshman of the Year.
Before starting the Furman program, Whitten spent six seasons at Denver, serving as an assistant coach from 2007-11 before being elevated to associate head coach in 2012. During her tenure, the Pioneers posted a 71-36 record, captured three Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular-season championships, and earned three top-20 national rankings. Denver also advanced to the 2010 MPSF Tournament championship game and finished the season ranked No. 20 nationally.
A two-time All-American at Loyola University Maryland, Whitten helped the Greyhounds advance to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2002-04, including a trip to the 2003 NCAA Final Four. Loyola finished the 2003 season ranked No. 1 nationally, and Whitten was twice nominated for the Tewaaraton Award, presented annually to the nation's top women's lacrosse player.
A 2004 graduate of Loyola with a bachelor's degree in business administration, Whitten and her husband, Marty, have two children, Aleni Lou and James Cole.
