Staten Island, NY – Women's Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL) founder Michele DeJulius and commissioner Jen Adams have announced that Wagner College head women's lacrosse coach Katie Rowan will serve as a member of the league's five-member coaching lineup.

The WPLL, which is set to begin play in the summer of 2018, will hold its first-ever draft on August 23 at 7:00 p.m. on the Lax Sports Network. The WPLL will field five teams during its inaugural season: Upstate Pride, Baltimore Brave, New England Command, New York Flight and Philadelphia Fire.  Rowan was named coach of the Upstate Pride.

"I'm very grateful for the opportunity to coach in the inaugural WPLL for the Upstate Pride," said Rowan. "I believe in and am dedicated to the mission of this league and in the growth of the players and the sport. I look forward to the draft next week and getting to work with a strong group of players and leaders in the sport of lacrosse."

Rowan has guided the Seahawks to Northeast Conference (NEC) championship game in each of her two seasons. In her first year at the helm of Wagner in 2016, Rowan led the Seahawks to their first NEC Tournament championship and NCAA berth – marking Rowan's 10th consecutive season being a part of the NCAA Tournament as either a player or a coach. Before Wagner, Rowan served as an assistant coach at Syracuse (2010, 2013-15) and Albany (2011-12).

Prior to embarking on her collegiate coaching career, Rowan was a three-time First-Team All-American at Syracuse. After becoming the Orange's first Tewaaraton Finalist in 2009, Rowan captured back-to-back world championships with the U.S. women's national team in 2009 and 2013. Rowan is Syracuse's (396) and Team USA's (67) all-time leader in points.

"The WPLL is proud to have such an accomplished, talented and passionate group of coaches who value the growth and development of our game and players," says DeJulius. "As the excitement builds around this league our goal is to provide exceptional leadership and to mentor our current and next generation of players that will experience the WPLL programming and its mission. These coaches are dedicated to this mission and excited to get to work."

"We are excited to name such a high caliber lineup of coaches for the five inaugural WPLL teams," says Adams. "Each coach brings a wealth of knowledge and a creative style that mirrors the brand of lacrosse that the league will have on display. Moreover, these coaches are extremely committed to the growth of our sport at all levels. "We are fortunate to have such strong, motivated leadership across the league and I look forward to working with each of them as we take the WPLL into the future," added Adams.

As one of the WPLL's inaugural head coaches, Rowan finds herself in select company. The Baltimore Brave will be led by Towson University's Sonia LaMonica, the New England Command will be led by former Dartmouth coach Amy Patton, the New York Fight will be led by Hofstra University's Shannon Smith, while the Philadelphia Fire will be led by the Naval Academy's Cindy Timchal.

 Follow us: #CHAOSonthehill
Wagner Athletics       
Women's Lacrosse:  
Wagner Gameday: