Women's Lacrosse
Vesco, Anna Marie
Anna Marie Vesco
- Title:
- Head Women's Lacrosse Coach
- Email:
- av47@drexel.edu
- Phone:
- x-1885
Head Coach Anna Marie Vesco joined the Drexel program in 2003 that had previously enjoyed just three winning seasons in its 20 years. At Drexel, she has a combined career mark of 102-67 and ranks first in wins among all Drexel women’s lacrosse coaches since the Dragons entered Division I competition in 1983. During her tenure, the women’s lacrosse team has won at least eight games in every season and has tied the program record for wins in a season three times.
In 2012, Vesco’s squad earned the program’s most Colonial Athletic Association conference victories with four and earned their second consecutive post-season appearance in the championship tournament. The Dragons finished 11-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play. The team beat the Colgate Raiders on the road for the first time ever and shutout Mount Saint Mary’s, 15-0, which has only been done once before in 1993. In just 10 seasons at Drexel, she earned her 100th victory with a 9-4 win at Delaware. Vesco had a program-high five players named to the All-CAA teams. She also had two Dragons, Kelli Joran and Alyse Maiden, named to the All-Tournament team. In the league, Drexel ranked first in goals per game, second in points and caused turnovers per game, third in draw controls and shots per game and fourth in assists per game. Drexel’s Kelli Joran collected a number of post-season accolades including being named to the 2012 Philadelphia Inquirer's Academic All-Area Women’s Lacrosse team, 2012 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division I All-Region team, First Team All-Philly Division I for women's lacrosse by Philly College Sports.com and 2012 Pre-Season All-CAA women's lacrosse team.
In 2011, Drexel defeated Towson, 7-5, on the road for the first time ever and broke a 17 game losing streak against the Tigers. The Dragons went on to face the top-seeded Towson Tigers in the first round of the CAA Championship, which marked the first appearance in post-season play in Drexel women’s lacrosse program history. Towson slipped by Drexel, 10-8. Drexel outshot the Tigers 22-21. The Dragons finished the 2011 campaign with 9-8 overall and went 3-4 in conference play. Drexel’s Charlotte Wood was the first player in the program’s history to be named to the Tewaraaton Watch List. Teammates Katie Blazer and Emily Kane were the first two Dragons ever named to the CAA's All-Tournament team.
In 2010, the Dragons finished 10-7 overall. Drexel’s Katie Lawson named CAA Co-Player of the week, Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area. The following season, Katie Lawson was a Regional All-America pick as well as First Team All-CAA, while Charlotte Wood was chosen to the CAA All- Rookie Team. The Dragons went 8-9 overall in 2009.
In 2008, Drexel nearly upset the 2007 and 2008 national runner-up as Penn narrowly escaped Vidas Field with a 6-5 victory. The game featured trademarks of Drexel women’s lacrosse under Vesco’s leadership as the Dragons’ physical play and sound fundamentals along with extensive preparation nearly led to the toppling of a nationally ranked team. Later in the season, the Dragons completed an upset of a nationally ranked opponent as Drexel stunned 18th-ranked William & Mary, 17-6.
In 2007, she helped Drexel to a school-record tying 12 victories, including three in the Colonial Athletic Association. Drexel’s 3-4 mark in conference action was the best the Dragons’ have posted since joining the CAA in 2002. Vesco was also instrumental in the success of 2007 First Team All-CAA selections Kerry Kelly and Lauren LaBella and three-time all-conference player Emily Hoesch. Kelly and Hoesch rewrote the Drexel record book as the two own the single-season and career records for goals, assists and points.
The transformation of the Drexel program into a winner was nearly immediate when Vesco took the helm. The Dragons finished the 2003 season with an 8-8 mark that included wins over city rivals Saint Joseph’s and La Salle. The 8-8 mark was the team’s best showing since the 1993 season, when Drexel went 12-3. In just her second season, Vesco guided the Dragons to a best-ever 5-0 start en route to an overall record of 10-7 for the 2004 season. For the season, Drexel ranked ninth in draw controls and 20th in scoring margin nationally.
Vesco quickly established herself as one of the top coaches in women’s college lacrosse. Vesco spent nine seasons as head coach at Rutgers University, where she compiled an 82-64 career record. Honored in 1998 as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year, Vesco enjoyed many successes while with the Scarlet Knights. Her 1999 team finished the season with a 14-3 record, the most wins in school history, and became the first to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The team earned a national ranking of 11th and had four players named to the Mid-Atlantic Regional All-America team. The 1997 and 1998 squads finished 13-5 and 12-5, respectively, with both earning trips to the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament. In her career, Vesco has had 13 of her players named to All-America teams and has coached six Academic All-Americans.
Prior to her tenure at Rutgers, Vesco served as the girls’ lacrosse coach at Chatham High School, where she recorded a 6-4-2 mark. She was also an assistant coach at her alma mater, Montville High School. During her two years coaching at Montville, the squad posted a 33-1-2 record, captured two Tri-County Conference championships and had two appearances in the semifinals of the New Jersey State Tournament. Vesco coached in Japan in 1991-1992 and was the head coach of the North Jersey Lacrosse Club from 1990-1997.
A 1988 graduate of Penn State University, Vesco earned a degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management. She was a two-time All-American and a four-year starter on the women’s lacrosse team. She played in three Final Fours and was a member of the 1987 National Championship team. A member of the 1991 United States National team, Vesco played in the North/South Game in 1988 and 1991 and the Garden State Games in 1984. She also earned Vail Shootout Tournament MVP honors in 1993. In 1999, she was inducted into the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame and was also named to the New Jersey Star-Ledger’s All-Century Team. She was inducted to the Montville High School Hall of Fame in the inaugural class.
Vesco has been highly involved in the development of women’s lacrosse in New Jersey, serving on the board of the N.J. Lacrosse Foundation and was the state’s USILA chapter president. She was on the N.J. All-American Selection Committee from 1991-1993 and played a large role in the founding of the first school girls tournament in New Jersey.
Vesco resides in Havertown, Pa., with her son, Tyler Jonathon and her daughter, Alexis.
In 2012, Vesco’s squad earned the program’s most Colonial Athletic Association conference victories with four and earned their second consecutive post-season appearance in the championship tournament. The Dragons finished 11-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play. The team beat the Colgate Raiders on the road for the first time ever and shutout Mount Saint Mary’s, 15-0, which has only been done once before in 1993. In just 10 seasons at Drexel, she earned her 100th victory with a 9-4 win at Delaware. Vesco had a program-high five players named to the All-CAA teams. She also had two Dragons, Kelli Joran and Alyse Maiden, named to the All-Tournament team. In the league, Drexel ranked first in goals per game, second in points and caused turnovers per game, third in draw controls and shots per game and fourth in assists per game. Drexel’s Kelli Joran collected a number of post-season accolades including being named to the 2012 Philadelphia Inquirer's Academic All-Area Women’s Lacrosse team, 2012 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division I All-Region team, First Team All-Philly Division I for women's lacrosse by Philly College Sports.com and 2012 Pre-Season All-CAA women's lacrosse team.
In 2011, Drexel defeated Towson, 7-5, on the road for the first time ever and broke a 17 game losing streak against the Tigers. The Dragons went on to face the top-seeded Towson Tigers in the first round of the CAA Championship, which marked the first appearance in post-season play in Drexel women’s lacrosse program history. Towson slipped by Drexel, 10-8. Drexel outshot the Tigers 22-21. The Dragons finished the 2011 campaign with 9-8 overall and went 3-4 in conference play. Drexel’s Charlotte Wood was the first player in the program’s history to be named to the Tewaraaton Watch List. Teammates Katie Blazer and Emily Kane were the first two Dragons ever named to the CAA's All-Tournament team.
In 2010, the Dragons finished 10-7 overall. Drexel’s Katie Lawson named CAA Co-Player of the week, Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area. The following season, Katie Lawson was a Regional All-America pick as well as First Team All-CAA, while Charlotte Wood was chosen to the CAA All- Rookie Team. The Dragons went 8-9 overall in 2009.
In 2008, Drexel nearly upset the 2007 and 2008 national runner-up as Penn narrowly escaped Vidas Field with a 6-5 victory. The game featured trademarks of Drexel women’s lacrosse under Vesco’s leadership as the Dragons’ physical play and sound fundamentals along with extensive preparation nearly led to the toppling of a nationally ranked team. Later in the season, the Dragons completed an upset of a nationally ranked opponent as Drexel stunned 18th-ranked William & Mary, 17-6.
In 2007, she helped Drexel to a school-record tying 12 victories, including three in the Colonial Athletic Association. Drexel’s 3-4 mark in conference action was the best the Dragons’ have posted since joining the CAA in 2002. Vesco was also instrumental in the success of 2007 First Team All-CAA selections Kerry Kelly and Lauren LaBella and three-time all-conference player Emily Hoesch. Kelly and Hoesch rewrote the Drexel record book as the two own the single-season and career records for goals, assists and points.
The transformation of the Drexel program into a winner was nearly immediate when Vesco took the helm. The Dragons finished the 2003 season with an 8-8 mark that included wins over city rivals Saint Joseph’s and La Salle. The 8-8 mark was the team’s best showing since the 1993 season, when Drexel went 12-3. In just her second season, Vesco guided the Dragons to a best-ever 5-0 start en route to an overall record of 10-7 for the 2004 season. For the season, Drexel ranked ninth in draw controls and 20th in scoring margin nationally.
Vesco quickly established herself as one of the top coaches in women’s college lacrosse. Vesco spent nine seasons as head coach at Rutgers University, where she compiled an 82-64 career record. Honored in 1998 as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year, Vesco enjoyed many successes while with the Scarlet Knights. Her 1999 team finished the season with a 14-3 record, the most wins in school history, and became the first to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The team earned a national ranking of 11th and had four players named to the Mid-Atlantic Regional All-America team. The 1997 and 1998 squads finished 13-5 and 12-5, respectively, with both earning trips to the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament. In her career, Vesco has had 13 of her players named to All-America teams and has coached six Academic All-Americans.
Prior to her tenure at Rutgers, Vesco served as the girls’ lacrosse coach at Chatham High School, where she recorded a 6-4-2 mark. She was also an assistant coach at her alma mater, Montville High School. During her two years coaching at Montville, the squad posted a 33-1-2 record, captured two Tri-County Conference championships and had two appearances in the semifinals of the New Jersey State Tournament. Vesco coached in Japan in 1991-1992 and was the head coach of the North Jersey Lacrosse Club from 1990-1997.
A 1988 graduate of Penn State University, Vesco earned a degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management. She was a two-time All-American and a four-year starter on the women’s lacrosse team. She played in three Final Fours and was a member of the 1987 National Championship team. A member of the 1991 United States National team, Vesco played in the North/South Game in 1988 and 1991 and the Garden State Games in 1984. She also earned Vail Shootout Tournament MVP honors in 1993. In 1999, she was inducted into the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame and was also named to the New Jersey Star-Ledger’s All-Century Team. She was inducted to the Montville High School Hall of Fame in the inaugural class.
Vesco has been highly involved in the development of women’s lacrosse in New Jersey, serving on the board of the N.J. Lacrosse Foundation and was the state’s USILA chapter president. She was on the N.J. All-American Selection Committee from 1991-1993 and played a large role in the founding of the first school girls tournament in New Jersey.
Vesco resides in Havertown, Pa., with her son, Tyler Jonathon and her daughter, Alexis.
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