Hannah Wszalek - Mary Semanik Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse - Women's Lacrosse Coaches

Hannah Wszalek

Title:
Mary Semanik Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse
Email:
hir26@drexel.edu
Phone:
215-895-1885

Hannah Wszalek begins her fifth season at the helm of the Drexel women’s lacrosse team in 2016-17. She was named the head women's lacrosse coach in July of 2013 after dedicating three seasons as an assistant coach.

Over her first four seasons, the local product has proven adept at taking down Philadelphia foes. Wszalek's teams have gone 6-1 against city rivals in her four years, including a five-game winning streak dating back to the 2014 campaign.

Wszalek, then using her maiden name of Hannah Rudloff, broke through in her third season of 2016, guiding the Dragons to a 10-7 record and a berth in the CAA Championship tournament, which Drexel hosted for the first time. The Dragons fell to top-seeded James Madison in the league semifinals, but saw standout seasons for several individual Dragons including First Team All-CAA selection Nadia Pelham-Lacey. Drexel also snapped a 22-game losing skid to Hofstra with a win over the Pride which clinched the postseason berth for the Dragons.

Last year, the Dragons made it two straight wins over Hofstra with a CAA-opening 12-11 thriller against the Pride. The team won seven games overall and though it could not make a repeat appearance in postseason play, the Dragons did see Pelham-Lacey and Eva Winiarski earn All-CAA honors for a second-consecutive season, while Courtney Dietzel was recognized as an All-Rookie honoree. Under Wszalek's leadership, the team was among the first-ever class of recipients of the CAA Team Academic Excellence Award, with Dominique Nyzio representing the squad as part of the All-Academic Team.

Wszalek won her first game as a collegiate head coach in the Dragons’ opener in 2014, handling George Washington 12-7. She would add victories over local rivals La Salle and Saint Joseph’s, as well as a 9-8 win over Towson which highlighted her first campaign as the head coach for Drexel. That victory handed the Tigers just their third regular season CAA loss in the past four seasons.

Wzalek has coached eight All-CAA performers and an IWLCA All-Region honoree during her tenure as the Dragons’ head coach, and also mentored 2014 Mary Semanik Award winner Amanda Norcini.

During her time as an assistant, the women’s lacrosse team made significant strides in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Dragons made the 2011 CAA Championship tournament for the first-time in program history and advanced to post-season play again in 2012 and 2013 after tallying the program’s most CAA wins with four.

Prior to arriving at Drexel, Wszalek served as the assistant coach at Marist for the 2010 season for both the offensive and defensive units. She helped the Red Foxes defeat Fairfield in the MAAC Championship Final to earn an NCAA Tournament berth.

Wszalek graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 where she helped the Quakers to three undefeated Ivy League seasons. She and the Quakers advanced to the NCAA Final Four in each of her final three seasons and reached the NCAA championship game in her junior season. Wszalek attended nearby West Chester East High School where she was a First Team All-America selection in 2005.