MEET COACH SARAH

Sarah Walsh Kotkowski, Founder

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Sarah founded LACROSSOVER, LLC in 2011 to help female student-athletes reach their full potential as outstanding players, teammates, and leaders. LACROSSOVER works with clients to develop fundamental lacrosse skills, build self-confidence, and build leadership capability. Sarah has coached players at all levels of lacrosse--from youth to international. She played on the 2005 Northwestern University National Championship team and represented Ireland in the 2012 European Championships in Amsterdam.

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Sarah played lacrosse under two of the best coaches in the country: Kelly Amonte-Hiller at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and Kathy Jenkins at St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes High School in Alexandria, VA. From high school, she was recruited to Northwestern’s inaugural Division I team. She earned three-time Academic All-Big Ten honors and was on the American Lacrosse Conference Academic Honor Roll. In 2005, her senior year, the Northwestern team won its first NCAA National Championship, where she was the selected speaker at the Final Four banquet. 

In 2007, Sarah became the Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst under then Head Coach Alexis Venechanos. They took the UMass team to the A-10 championships in 2008 for the first time since 2003. Sarah then helped run the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, a national foundation that pairs children with pediatric brain tumors with athletic teams.

In early 2011, Sarah founded LACROSSOVER, LLC to create a professional framework for her passion for working directly with young adults and her belief in the importance of team sports. Sarah also started coaching the defense for St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes varsity and middle school teams in 2011, and concluded 11th season with the top 10 nationally ranked program. Sarah also coaches for Capital Lacrosse 2022 Orange.

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Sarah was named the Head Coach for the Ireland Women's National Lacrosse Team for the 2015 European Championships in Nymburk, Czech Republic, the 2017 World Cup in London, and a 2022 World Championships in Baltimore, MD. A dual citizen, she played for the 2012 Ireland National Women's Lacrosse Team and was the assistant coach for the 2013 World Cup team in Canada. 

MEET COACH ANNIE

Annie Dyson, Draw & Midfield Specialist

Annie Dyson is one of the premiere women's lacrosse players in the country.  A rising senior at the University of Virginia, she has been a major leader and contributor to her team's success over the past few years. Annie was named a Tewaaraton Award Top 25 nominee for her success all over the field. The Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award, annually honoring the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. The selection committees are comprised of premier college coaches and are appointed annually by the Tewaaraton Foundation.

Annie led UVA in draw controls (56), is second in ground balls (34), third in caused turnovers (14) and fifth in points (35). She scored multiple goals in seven games, including a career-high four in the win over UConn in the NCAA First Round. She had a goal and an assist in six games and had at least one ground ball, one caused turnover and one draw control in eight games. Annie picked up a career-high eight draw controls in the win over Virginia Tech and recorded a career-best four caused turnovers in two games.

Before UVA, Annie attended St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School where she was a four-year starter and leader. She broke the school record for single season draw controls with 165. She was a 2018 Under Armour All-American, two-time member of the Under Armour team, 2018 US Lacrosse All-American, team captain and MVP, 2018 first team All-State and first team Washington Post All-Met, and 2018 Alexandria Times Lacrosse Player of the Year. Annie is a great role model in her skills, but also in who she is as a person. She loves to coach and mentor younger players. She is a great addition to our team!