Coastal Carolina head lacrosse coach Kristen Selvage announced the addition of former Chanticleer lacrosse player Sara Nolan as assistant coach heading into the 2019-20.
“As we continue to build this program to new heights each season, it was time to bring an alumna home to Coastal,” stated Selvage. “We are beyond excited to welcome her back in the fold and cannot wait to get underway.”
In her lone year on staff at her alma mater, the Chanticleers saw their 2020 season cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 16th.
Coastal, who did not even play a game at home prior to the season's cancelation, went 2-3 on the year over a season-opening road trip that saw games at Old Dominion, Campbell, Temple, and nationally-ranked Colorado and Denver.
The Chants had three players named to the ASUN all-conference preseason team in Emily D'Orsaneo, Megan Kilpatrick, and Samantha Courtemanche, while Lyla Robinson was named the ASUN Player of the Week for the first week of play after notching three goals in the season-opening win.
Coastal led the ASUN in shots on goal percentage at 77.1 percent led by Courtemanche and Robinson each tallying with a team-high eight goals on the year. The duo also led the team in assists on the year, Courtemanche with 10, which ranked fourth in the ASUN, and Robinson with eight, while as a team the Chants averaged 9.40 goals per game.
Nolan returned to Conway after a one-year stint as an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure University of the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2018-19. While with the Bonnies, Nolan worked on game preparations, practice planning, travel plan coordination, budget planning, recruiting, and other duties assigned.
Prior to her time at St. Bonaventure, the former Chanticleer was an assistant coach at Westminster College in 2017-18 working as a recruiter, game and practice planner, and scouted opposing teams.
Nolan has also worked with the Chartiers Valley High School varsity lacrosse team doing game preparations and practice planning.
“Sara has demonstrated her commitment to the coaching profession,” Selvage said. “Since graduating from Coastal, Sara has coached at all levels of the game. During the interview process, Nolan showed exemplary passion towards our mission to move this Coastal program to the next level.”
Nolan played four years as a starter at Coastal Carolina as a low attack and main draw control. During her time as a student-athlete, she earned Big South second-team all-conference accolades her senior season. Throughout her career, the Forest Hill, Md. native, tallied 107 goals and 25 assists for 132 points with a total of seven game-winning goals. In the draw, Nolan won 147 draw controls setting the standard for future Chants.
The 2016 graduate of CCU earned her bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in graphic design. She also earned her master’s in arts, business, and creativity at Newcastle University.
