STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford Lacrosse will have a second new assistant coach, Samantha Giacolone, the program announced this week. A former Division I goalkeeper at Notre Dame and a Defensive Coordinator for Coastal Carolina, Giacolone brings a wealth of experience as a player and a coach to The Farm.
"Samantha was a student-athlete at the highest level, and has already made her mark early in her coaching career," said head coach Danielle Spencer. "She has learned from great mentors that have prepared her well for this role."
In Conway, South Carolina, Giacolone worked closely with the Chanticleers' defensive unit and goalkeepers since 2021, helping the program earn two ASUN Defensive Player of the Week honors during the 2022 season. While coaching at Coastal Carolina, Giacolone also earned her master's degree in Athletic Leadership from Clemson University.
Prior to pursuing her advanced degree and coaching at Coastal Carolina, Giacolone served in the same role at Furman University. While working with the defensive unit, she helped guide the program to the SOCON regular season title in 2021. She also helped coach the SOCON Defensive Player of the Year, six conference Player of the Week awards, and a Defensive Player of the month award.
"Samantha is a brave, confident, student of the game," added Spencer. "She is ultra competitive and a hard worker. She fits nicely with our team culture, and I look forward to the impact she will have on our program."
Giacolone began her collegiate lacrosse career at Notre Dame in 2015 where she ultimately became one of the best goalkeepers in program history. When she graduated in 2019, she left the program as the all-time saves leader (605) and the all-time wins leader (47). During her time in South Bend, Indiana, Giacolone was named an IWLCA All-American, two-time IWLCA All-Region selection, two-time IWLCA National Player of the Week, and five-time ACC Defensive Player of the Week. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Notre Dame in 2019.
