Ashley Hughes enters her third year as head coach of the Saint Michael's women's lacrosse program in 2013.

Hughes' squad won two of its first three games in 2012, beginning the year 3-3, fielding a roster that included 11 first-year players. In her inaugural campaign, Hughes earned her first college coaching victory on March 17, 2011.

Hughes spent the 2009-10 academic year as an assistant coach for both the women’s lacrosse and women’s soccer programs at Norwich University. She assisted the head coach of both programs with all daily operations, and helped the women’s lacrosse team win the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament championship, qualifying the team for the NCAA Division III Tournament. Hughes also served as a women’s lacrosse assistant coach at Hartwick (N.Y.) College in 2009.

A native of Wexford, Pa., Hughes was a standout student-athlete at Allegheny (Pa.) College, where she graduated in 2008 with a degree in mathematics. She played both lacrosse and soccer at Allegheny, and was a four-year starter for both programs. In lacrosse, she left as the program’s all-time leader in career goals (125), assists (54) and points (179). A two-year captain, Hughes earned Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-West Region honors twice. She was a four-time North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) All-Conference selection, landing on the first team three times, and was a two-time NCAC Tournament All-Tournament pick.

In soccer, Hughes led the Gators in goals for two consecutive seasons, and was an NCAC All-Conference honorable mention as a junior. She finished with 20 goals and three assists during her career.

Hughes has worked at the week-long Saint Michael’s girls' lacrosse camp the last three summers, and also worked at a similar camp at Allegheny twice while an undergraduate.

Former Saint Michael's goalkeeping standout Sandy Palumbo '12 returns to her alma mater for her first season as the program's paid assistant coach for the 2012-13 school year.

Palumbo, who graduated with a degree in biology in 2012, made 549 saves during her 51-game career, turning in a .458 save percentage. In her final three years combined, she appeared in net for all but 207:40 of her team's contests. Palumbo served as a captain during her senior season.

Maddie Cave '10 returns to the Saint Michael's women's lacrosse program for her third year as an assistant coach in 2013.

Cave, a native of Thomaston, Maine, played in 50 games for the Purple Knights in her four-year career, including 25 starts. The midfielder compiled 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points, and also added 42 ground balls, 38 draw controls, and 22 caused turnovers.

She helped lead the team to a program-record-tying nine victories as a sophomore in 2008, as the Purple Knights advanced to the NE-10 Tournament semifinals. Cave and the Purple Knights also made the NE-10 Tournament quarterfinals in 2007.

Off the field, Cave earned Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll recognition as a senior, and also served as a tri-captain her final year.

Cave graduated from Saint Michael's in 2010 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. While at Saint Michael's, she wrote for the College's student-run publications, The Defender and the Echo.

Cara Gorman, a two-time NCAA Division I Tournament national champion, returns to Saint Michael's for her sixth season as an assistant coach with the women's lacrosse program in 2013.

Gorman helped lead the team to a 9-7 record in her first season in 2008, with the squad tying the program record for victories in a season. The Purple Knights advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament semifinals.

Gorman spent the previous three seasons (2005-07) as an assistant coach at the University of Vermont. She also served as an assistant coach at Utica (N.Y.) College during the 2004 season.

Gorman was a goalkeeper at the University of Maryland, helping the Terrapins won back-to-back national championships, and three Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament titles. Maryland was 73-15 during her career, with Gorman going 4-1 between the pipes with a .526 save percentage in 20 contests.

A native of Amsterdam, N.Y., Gorman graduated from Maryland in 2003 with a degree in psychology. She was a four-year ACC Academic Honor Roll selection, and Maryland Scholar-Athlete. She was also inducted into Maryland's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest and largest academic honor society.