ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – St. Bonaventure Director of Athletics Joe Manhertz has announced the hiring of LeighAnn Stauffer, '17, as the new Bonnies women's lacrosse head coach.
An Atlantic 10 All-Conference performer as a student-athlete at St. Bonaventure, Stauffer brings previous coaching experience both at the head coach level as well as within the Atlantic 10 Conference.
"Having LeighAnn take over the program gives us an opportunity to change the trajectory of Bonnies women's lacrosse. She stood out in a pool of great candidates and we believe she will represent St. Bonaventure at a high level," Manhertz said. "We are beyond excited to welcome her home to build a program she excelled in as a student-athlete."
Stauffer returns to St. Bonaventure after spending the last two years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at fellow A-10 member George Washington.
While at GW, Stauffer served as the Colonials offensive coordinator, helping the team to a 6-6 record in her first season with the program followed by a spot in the Atlantic 10 Tournament this past spring. She spearheaded the team's recruiting and led the program's alumni relations as well as aided fundraising efforts. During her time in Foggy Bottom, the Colonials had two Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team selections.
Prior to her stint in the nation's capital, she gained head coaching experience at the Division II level with Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, guiding the Fighting Scots program for two seasons. She was promoted to the head coach position after first arriving in Edinboro as a graduate assistant coach for the 2018 campaign.
A native of Rochester, she also served as head coach with Pride Girls Lacrosse Club and Rochester Elite Lacrosse Club while also working as an official for the Rochester Board of Women's Lacrosse Officials.
"I am truly excited to return home and take over a program that has so much potential to compete in the Atlantic 10. I want to thank Joe Manhertz, Barb Questa and the entire search committee for this opportunity. Just stepping back on campus was a great experience and I am looking forward to seeing so many familiar faces," Stauffer said. "As a young coach, there is nothing more you could ask for than to return to your alma mater and have the opportunity to make it better than you found it. I'm looking forward to working with our student-athletes and lifting the program to the potential it has."
Stauffer played for the Bonnies from 2013-17. During her collegiate career, she was a two-time All-Atlantic 10 honoree and she ranks 12th all-time in program history for total goals with 95 as well as 15th in total points at 115. Her 135 career draw controls also stand third in program history.
She captured all-conference accolades for the first time as a sophomore in 2014, scoring a team-high 32 goals with a team-best 51 draw controls and 26 groundballs. She repeated as an All-Atlantic 10 performer in her junior season with team-highs in goals (30) and draw controls (58), a mark that stands second in SBU single-season history. Injuries limited her final two seasons including 2016, when she scored six goals in four games, but she returned for a redshirt campaign in 2017 and posted 16 goals and 24 points along with 25 draw controls in nine games.
When she graduated in 2017, Stauffer was honored with the department's female Letterwinner Award, presented every year to one senior male and female student-athlete who has assembled outstanding records of athletic accomplishments over their careers.
"Being a product of St. Bonaventure, I know what a special place it is and how lucky our student-athletes are to call Bona's home," Stauffer said. "Having the experience of playing and graduating from there and also coaching in the Atlantic 10, I can see the potential of the program and if we all work together with the same goal in mind we can be very successful."
Stauffer earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and sociology with a minor in criminology from St. Bonaventure. She went on to earn a Master's of Education from Edinboro in 2019.
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