Women's Lacrosse

Carla Hesler
Eighth Season


Carla Hesler, the 2001-02 Saint Michael's Co-Coach of the Year, enters her eighth season as the Purple Knights' women's lacrosse coach in 2008. Hesler has guided the program to a 48-53 record in seven seasons, including a 7-8 record in 2007 and an appearance in the Northeast-10 Conference Quarterfinals.

After going 3-9 in her first year in 2001, Hesler's 2002 team recorded eight wins, the greatest increase in victories from the previous season since the 1983-84 teams did the same under Todd Wadsworth. In 2003, Hesler guided the Purple Knights to a 7-6 record, the program's first winning campaign since 1999, and followed that up with a program record-tying nine victories and another winning season in 2004. In 2005, Hesler's squad went 6-7, earning yet another berth in the NE-10 Conference playoffs. ?

Hesler, a Lynnfield, Mass., native, brings a strong lacrosse background to the Purple Knights program. She owns a 84-76 record as a collegiate lacrosse coach, serving as the head coach at Colgate from 1986-89 and now as head coach at Saint Michael's. Colgate was the New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association runner up in both 1986 and 1987 under Hesler.

A 1982 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Hesler played both field hockey and lacrosse, serving as captain of the lacrosse team in both her junior and senior seasons. She was named to the New England Collegiate All-Star team in 1980.

She has served as an assistant lacrosse coach at five institutions, including Northeastern, Boston College, Yale, and Princeton before working with Saint Michael's team in 2000. While at Yale, she helped the Elis win the 1991 and 1994 ECAC Championships.

In addition to her duties as women's lacrosse coach, Hesler had guided the Saint Michael's field hockey team to a 103-68 record over the nine seasons while advancing to the Division II National Semifinals in 2000 and 2001. The squad also won the NE-10 Regular Season Championship outright in 2000 and tied for the title in 2001. In 2000, Hesler was named NE-10 Coach of the Year as well as the NFHCA North Regional Coach of the Year. She holds a career record of 193-166-8 in 16 years at Colgate, Yale, and Saint Michael's.