Kelly McQuilkin joined the HPU women's lacrosse program as an assistant coach in August 2017.
McQuilkin was promoted to associate head coach Thursday (August 13, 2020).
McQuilkin came to HPU after being a three-year defensive starter for the nationally-ranked Towson squad that faced the Panthers in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. She marked up on opposing team’s key offensive players, served as the Tigers’ team captain for 2017 and was selected to play in the 2017 IWLCA North-South Senior All-Star Game.
Each year she has coached the Big South Defensive Player of the Year in
Erica Perrotta in 2018,
Meredith Chapman in 2019, and
Ashley Britton in 2021. She coached the first All American in program history as Perrotta earned Inside Lacrosse Media All American honors as well as an IWLCA All-Region second-team selection.
She became the HPU defensive coordinator in 2017. In her first two years that McQuilkin had been defensive coordinator the Panthers set a new record for caused turnovers, 248 in 2018, and 253 in 2019.
Has helped HPU to three straight Big South Tournament Championships and three Big South Regular Season titles. While on the Staff at HPU, McQuilkin and the Panthers have secured wins over top women's lacrosse programs such as Duke, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, and Towson
Her defenses have posted top-five Scoring defense averages in program history each year. In 2018 the defense recorded a scoring defense average of 8.55 which ranks fourth all-time. The following season, in 2019 the defense posted an average of 8.63 making it the fifth-best in program history.
McQuilkin served as the defensive coordinator of the Hero’s Tournament Lacrosse Club 2021 Green squad from 2014-17 and worked as a private lacrosse coach from 2014.
Personal:
- She graduated Cum Laude from Towson in 2017 with a degree in business administration and finance.
- Earned MBA from University of Baltimore in Spring 2021
- Played professionally in the WPLL for 2018 and 2019 summer seasons for the Brave. Was a starting defender. Helped team win WPLL Championship in 2019 over the Fight.
- Traveled to Japan in the fall of 2018 to represent the WPLL in a showcase game.
- Assistant Coach / Defensive Coordinator for the Uganda Women’s National Team, will take them to World Cup in 2022 at Towson (alma mater).
