The following was written for TheSabre.com
By: Izzie Begley | January 24, 2024
No Google, no iPhone, no Netflix. Many things have changed since the Virginia women’s lacrosse program last started a season with a new head coach. That stands as one of the big storylines entering 2024 for the Hoos.
No. 20 UVA has entered a new coaching era after being under the guidance of Julie Myers for nearly three decades. Myers took over as head coach in 1995 when she was named just the third head coach in program history. Following the 2023 season, Myers stepped down and the Cavaliers hired Sonia LaMonica to take the reins.
A head coaching position is nothing new for LaMonica, though. She held that role at Towson for the past 13 years. During her tenure, she posted a 139-91 (.655) record and made seven trips to the NCAA Tournament. She also let Mount St. Mary’s for one season.
Now at Virginia, LaMonica will try to maintain the consistency of the program – the Hoos made the tournament every year under Myers – but also to boost their fortunes. UVA has struggled in the NCAA Tournament the past three years where it got knocked out in the first or second round in each appearance. The change in coaching staff will provide a new perspective, which the Cavaliers hope will be beneficial as they aim to play deeper into the spring season.
Hoos To Know
In addition to having a change in the entire coaching staff, the team also underwent significant transformations regarding personnel. That means a blend of returners and newcomers will need to lead the charge for this new staff.
Notable departures include Rachel Clark (attack), Ashlyn McGovern (attack), Annika Meyer (defense), and Aubrey Williams (defense). In order to fill these gaps, the Hoos will need new key additions to step up. That includes young and talented freshmen Jenna DiNardo (Attack), Addi Foster (Midfield), and Kate Denmark (Defense). However, arguably their most crucial addition is 5th year student Katia Carnevale (Attack). Coming from Lehigh, Carnevale is a huge pickup for the Virginia offense. In the 2023 season, she averaged 2.94 goals per game and 3.5 points. With the loss of Clark, their previous top scorer, the Wahoos will need Carnevale to fill that role.
The newcomers will join forces with a few returners to start the LaMonica era. Senior Morgan Schwab (Attack) recently made the USA Lacrosse Magazine Honorable Mention list as a preseason All-American. This co-captain currently ranks 6th on the Virginia all-time assists list at 98. Having both Schwab and Carnevale on the field leaves the potential for a dangerous duo. Fellow co-captains Mackenzie Hoeg (Midfield) and Kiki Shaw (Midfield) also bring some returning firepower to the field. Hoeg posted 40 goals last season to go with a team-leading 27 ground balls. She had 2 game-winning goals. Shaw recorded 5 multi-goal games last season as well.
Defensively, Maggie Bostain (Defense) and Devon Whitaker (Defense) both return after causing double-digits turnovers last season. Bostain led the team with 18 turnovers caused and added 19 ground balls. Whitaker had 12 turnovers caused with 22 ground balls.
Virginia Schedule
The season opener takes place on Friday, Feb. 9 against Liberty. In the 2023 season, Liberty went 12-7 and only defeated one top 25 opponent. Following this matchup, the Hoos have a quick turnaround where they play the Stanford Cardinal just two days later in Charlottesville. These games will allow the team to adjust to their new scheme prior to facing the rest of their schedule in LaMonica’s first season.
The Cavaliers have a difficult schedule overall with 16 total games. Notable opponents include No. 19 Princeton (Feb. 17), No. 3 UNC (Feb. 23), No. 7 Notre Dame (March 9), No. 8 James Madison (March 20), No. 3 Syracuse (March 23), and No. 2 Boston College (April 13). The full schedule for Virginia can be found here.
Final Word
Getting back to pre-Covid Virginia women’s lacrosse success will be difficult. As seen on the schedule with many ranked opponents, the Hoos are in an incredibly talented ACC. However, with a new coaching staff and some talent, the Hoos have a chance to return the program to its previous reputation.
One potential key to success: assists. According to USA Lacrosse Magazine, the Hoos went 7-1 when they had 2 or more assists, but 2-6 when they did not hit that mark. The midfield playing more of a facilitator role seemed directly correlated with UVA’s success. This begs the question, will this team go back to this style of play? Or will the new coaching staff along with their new roster demand something different?
