HACKENSACK, N.J. - Fairleigh Dickinson University Director of Athletics Bradford Hurlbut announced Wednesday the hiring of Jessica Pandolf as the first-ever head coach of the Knights' women's lacrosse program.

No stranger to the Northeast Conference, Pandolf arrives "on the Hackensack" following a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Stetson University. Before joining the Hatters, she was a member of the coaching staff at LIU-Brooklyn for three seasons, a fellow NEC member.

"We couldn't be happier with the selection of Jess [Pandolf] as our first-ever head women's lacrosse coach," said Hurlbut. "She is a wonderful addition to the Knights Family and comes to Teaneck with terrific experience as a coach and as a player. We were all very impressed with her plan for building a successful NEC program as well as the connections she has in the women's lacrosse community, especially the New York Metropolitan area."

The Holbrook, N.Y. native returns to the tri-state area where she began her coaching career with the Long Island Top Guns Premiere Lacrosse Club. In 2016, Pandolf spent one season as a graduate assistant with the Lock Haven University squad, returning to her alma mater where she concluded her playing career in 2015.

"I am beyond excited to be named the first-ever Fairleigh Dickinson University head women's lacrosse coach," remarked Pandolf. "I want to thank Brad Hurlbut, Jason Young, Jennifer Quirk and the entire search committee for believing in my vision and plan moving forward for this new program. I am excited for the opportunity to create a program from the bottom up, that's athlete-centric which will provide my student-athletes an experience of a lifetime. I am thrilled to get back to the northeast and begin searching for future Knights."

She continued, "From the moment I stepped on-campus, I felt the excitement surrounding this program and athletic department. I hope to bring in student-athletes who feel that excitement and want to create a legacy at FDU. I would also like to thank Stetson University head coach Christy Leach for being an amazing mentor these last two years and for believing in my abilities and potential to take this next step in my career."

Pandolf enjoyed an outstanding career as a student-athlete, earning the highest honors in Division II women's lacrosse. In 2015, Pandolf earned the Division II Honda Award, given to the top Division II women's lacrosse player. In addition to the Honda Award, Pandolf was on the Tewaaraton Watch List in 2014 and 2015, which highlights the top lacrosse players across all three NCAA Divisions; was a three-time first-team All-America honoree (2013-15); three-time IWLCA Midfielder of the Year; and two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Player of the Year (2014, 2015). She also helped lead the Bald Eagles to new heights as she garnered team accomplishments with three PSAC conference titles, as well as appearances in the Division II national championship game in 2014, and again in 2015 while playing as a graduate student.

Stetson women's lacrosse head coach Christy Leach said, "I am so thrilled that Fairleigh Dickinson has chosen Jessica to be the program's first head lacrosse coach. She is an excellent leader and recruiter, and knows how to connect and push the student-athletes, which makes her the perfect fit to start a program from the ground up. She knows what it takes to be successful and will be a great addition to the University."

Pandolf has received two degrees from Lock Haven University, a bachelor's in Sport Studies and a master's in Psychology of Sport.

About FDU Women's Lacrosse

FDU unveiled its 21st NCAA Division I team back on January 19 and the team is set to begin competition in the spring 2023 season. 
  
To stay up-to-date with the Knights' newest program, follow @FDUKnightsWLAX on Twitter and Instagram.

About FDU Athletics

The Knights are home to 21 NCAA Division I teams. A member of the Northeast Conference, FDU has had tremendous success in the classroom, in athletic competition, and giving back to the Bergen County community. In 2019-20 year, FDU won NEC championships in men's soccer and women's indoor track & field and followed that up with championships in 2020-2021 in women's bowling, men's tennis, and women's golf. In 2020, FDU student-athletes were also recognized for their efforts in the community by winning the NEC Building Communities Award with over 3,000 community service hours. Other recent milestones include men's basketball winning the 2019 NEC championship and going on to win the first NCAA Tournament game in school history. In addition to recent championships, FDU also holds two NCAA National Championships in the sport of women's bowling (2006, 2010).