DOBBS FERRY, NY – Mercy University Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Dawn Sachs, who has led the program for the last 14 seasons, has stepped down as head coach on Wednesday, to pursue another opportunity. Sachs will remain with the department as Senior Associate Athletic Director.
Sachs oversaw the most successful era in Mercy Women's Lacrosse history, compiling a school-record 155 wins and a program-best .651 winning percentage. Under her leadership, the Mavericks established themselves as a nationally recognized program, earning their first-ever national rankings, five NCAA Tournament appearances and the program's first NCAA Tournament victory in 2026. Sachs led Mercy to six East Coast Conference (ECC) Regular Season Championships, four ECC Tournament Championships and 10 consecutive ECC Tournament appearances. The Mavericks also won a school-record 16 games in both 2017 and 2026 and posted 10 winning seasons during Sachs' tenure.
A six-time ECC Coach of the Year, Sachs earned the honor again in 2026 after leading Mercy to a 16-4 overall record, a perfect 6-0 mark in ECC play, an ECC Regular Season Championship and an ECC Tournament Championship. The Mavericks advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and earned the first NCAA Tournament victory in program history.
Sachs coached numerous All-Americans, All-Region selections and ECC major award winners during her tenure. In 2026, the Mavericks swept the ECC's major individual awards, with Jessica Grzelaczyk earning Attacker and Rookie of the Year, Olivia LaMonica earning Goalkeeper of the Year, Emily Marino earning Defender of the Year and Ashlinn Kelly earning Midfielder of the Year. Kelly became a two-time ECC Midfielder of the Year under Sachs after earning the honor in 2025 as well.
While the championships and individual honors are a significant part of Sachs' legacy, her impact extended well beyond the lacrosse field. She placed a tremendous emphasis on developing the whole student-athlete and consistently challenged her players to be the best they could be academically. Under her leadership, Mercy women's lacrosse earned the ECC Academic Team of Excellence Award five times for recording the highest cumulative GPA among ECC women's lacrosse programs. The Mavericks also earned IWLCA Division II Academic Merit Squad recognition twice for having the highest GPA among Division II women's lacrosse programs.
Family and relationships were also central to Sachs' philosophy. She believed in creating a program built on trust, accountability and genuine relationships, and she valued the bonds formed among teammates, coaches, alumni and families. For Sachs, the experience of being part of the Mercy women's lacrosse family was just as important as what happened on the field.
That philosophy was evident in Sachs' recruiting approach. She recruited with intention, seeking blue-collar student-athletes who were willing to work, believed in the vision and wanted to be part of building something special at Mercy. She looked for players who wanted to embrace the opportunity to become the reason something special happened here — both for themselves and for the program.
Community service was another important component of the program under Sachs. The Mavericks were recognized with the ECC Community Engagement Award of Excellence for their work with the Abbott House in Tarrytown. The program also hosted First Responder Games and participated in efforts to raise funds and awareness for cancer research, among numerous other community initiatives.
In addition to her responsibilities with women's lacrosse, Sachs has played a significant role in the administration of Mercy Athletics. She has served as Senior Woman Administrator and Chief Academic Officer of the athletic department and currently holds the title of Senior Associate Athletic Director. In those roles, she has helped support the academic, athletic and overall student-athlete experience throughout the department.
Sachs leaves Mercy Women's Lacrosse as the winningest coach in program history and as the architect of a program that reached unprecedented heights. Her legacy will be measured not only by the championships, victories and individual accolades accumulated during her 14 seasons, but also by the student-athletes she mentored, the relationships she built, the families she welcomed and the culture of excellence she established at Mercy.
"As someone who has worked for 13½ years to push our students academically and encourage them to pursue opportunities, I would be remiss if I didn't do the same. That is why I have decided that now is the right time for me to step away, and I truly believe this decision is the right one for both myself and the program.
"I am incredibly thankful to Pat Kennedy, who took a chance on me early in my career and trusted me to lead this up-and-coming program, and to Matt Kilcullen, who allowed me to grow into my positions here at Mercy with his full support.
"I am confident that Bill, the only person I have spent my entire tenure here at Mercy with, will continue to grow our department and allow all of our teams to flourish.
"To Joe Corace, the man who worked tirelessly to make Mercy lacrosse what it is, thank you for teaching me, guiding me, and always supporting me and the girls. Your tireless efforts have made us who we are—a blue-collar, lunch-pail team. I'm so appreciative of you and for the friendship we have built through a game we both love.
"Lastly, to all of my kids who have come through this program: I am eternally thankful that you saw my vision and made it our reality. You dreamed big, worked for success, and proved that a small school could leave a big impression. I love you all endlessly and am so appreciative of the time we have spent together. It has brought me some of the greatest moments of my life. I will always be here for all of you, no matter where life takes us.
"I look forward to seeing what Amber Neumann, our next head coach, and this team will accomplish this year and in the future. I know these girls are motivated, and I have complete confidence that this transition will be seamless.
"Once a Mav, always a Mav. I am eternally grateful," said Sachs.
"Dawn has been instrumental in building both our department and the women's lacrosse program into what they are today. Her unwavering commitment to the University and our student-athletes has been a hallmark of her entire career at Mercy. While she will continue to play a vital role in our administrative efforts, her daily presence in and around the office will certainly be missed. That said, we are incredibly excited for her as she embarks on this next chapter and look forward to all that lies ahead for her," said Mercy University Director of Athletics, Bill Sullivan.