Kayla Treanor Named Head Coach of Penn State Women’s Lacrosse

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft announced today that Kayla Treanor will be the new head coach for the women’s lacrosse team. Treanor, a former star player at Syracuse, takes over the program after four successful years as head coach at her alma mater.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kayla Treanor to our Penn State family,” Kraft said. “Her unparalleled experience as both a player and coach makes her the perfect leader for our program. I know Kayla will elevate our program to new heights after seeing firsthand her passion for developing student-athletes and commitment to excellence.”

Treanor expressed her excitement about the new role. “I’m honored to be named the head coach of Penn State Women’s Lacrosse. I want to thank Pat Kraft and the entire athletics department for their trust in me,” she said. “Our sights are set on bringing a National Championship to Happy Valley.”

During her time at Syracuse, Treanor led the Orange to a record of 59-24 and guided the team to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including back-to-back national semifinal bids in 2023 and 2024. Under her coaching, Syracuse boasted the top strength of schedule in the nation in 2024.

In 2024, the Orange captured their second consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular-season title before falling in the National Semifinals. Treanor also mentored standout players, including two-time Tewaaraton Award finalist Meghan Tyrell.

Before returning to Syracuse, Treanor served as an assistant coach at Boston College, where she helped lead the Eagles to three championship games and a national title in 2021. She also gained experience coaching at Harvard.

A graduate of Niskayuna High School and Syracuse, Treanor is a two-time gold medalist with Team USA Lacrosse and has been recognized as one of the most accomplished players in Syracuse history. She was the first player to earn first-team All-America honors in all four seasons at Syracuse.

Treanor succeeds Missy Doherty, who resigned earlier this month after spending 15 years with the program. The Nittany Lions finished the 2024 season with a 7-9 record, missing the NCAA Tournament for the past years. With Treanor at the helm, the program hopes to return to its previous success.