BUFFALO, N.Y. – D'Youville University women's lacrosse head coach Kate Manzella has stepped down from her coaching duties and will transition as a full-time administrator for the athletic department, effective immediately.
 
"I am grateful for the opportunity to have started our program 10 years ago and really proud of what we have built," said Manzella.  "Lacrosse has been a part of my life since I was in elementary school, and I am incredibly happy to have been involved in a sport that gave so much to me.  I want to thank our administrators for their support and guidance as well as my assistants over the years who gave their time and energy to our team.  A special thank you to assistant coach, Ellen Newton, whose commitment to our program for the past five years is a huge piece of our success.  I also want to thank all the student-athletes that have been a part of our women's lacrosse program as they each had an important role in the creating a strong foundation for our team.  I am excited to see the future success of our program and be a part of our athletic department for years to come."
 
Manzella came to DYU in 2015 where she started the women's lacrosse program on a club level and soon transitioned to NCAA Division III. Manzella also saw the team and athletic department transition from the Division III level to the Division II level. During her nine seasons as head coach at the NCAA level, Manzella compiled an overall record of 44-76 and a conference record of 16-30.
 
Manzella and the Saints saw their best success come during the second year of the transition to Division II, making it to the East Coast Conference Women's Lacrosse Tournament. The start of the 2022 season led to three consecutive appearances into the ECC Tournament, including the team's highest seed at No. 3 during the 2024 season.
 
Throughout her tenure, Manzella has coached two ECC Goalkeeper of the Year recipients, 25 All-Conference selections, eight College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honorees, and numerous Academic All-Conference and Commissioner's Honor Roll recipients as well.
 
A national search will commence immediately to identify a new head coach.