Jeff McGuigan begins his 13th season as the head coach of the women's lacrosse program at RIT in 2018-19. He is the all-time leader in coaching wins at RIT with 100, after leading the Tigers to eight victories in 2018. He led RIT to three Empire 8 playoff berths in five seasons, and two trips to the Liberty League Tournament (2012 and 2018.)
RIT is 100-97 in McGuigan's 12 seasons as head coach, including eight wins in each of the last three seasons. The Tigers have won 10 or more games in a season four times under McGuigan. He has coached nearly 60 all-conference selections, including Emily Livecchi, Alanna Fallone, Maegan Schmauder, Colette Rigas and Maddi Dillabough, who were All-Liberty League selections in 2018.
Livecchi finished her brilliant career at RIT second all-time in scoring with 280 points on 192 goals and 88 assists. She was the Liberty League Player of the Year in 2018, and was the Liberty League Rookie of the Year in 2015. Livecchi was a 2018 IWLCA All-Empire Region First Team selection and is a four-time All-Liberty League selection.
McGuigan brought in Shelby Vakiener, RIT’s all-time leading scorer and 2013 RIT Senior Female Athlete of the Year. She finished her career with 351 career points, on 248 career goals, and 103 career assists. Vakiener is just outside the top-20 all time in scoring at the Division III level, cracking 100 points in a season twice, including a school record 115 points in 2012. She was a three-time All-American.
In addition, Sage Sarkis was a three-time first team All-Liberty League selection (2014-2016), the 2016 Liberty League Co-Player of the Year, a 2013 Synapse Sports National All-Rookie Team selection, as well as an Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) second team All-American in 2014. She is third all-time in scoring at RIT with 267 points and second with 213 career goals.
In 2009, McGuigan led the Tigers to a program-record 13 wins and a second place finish in the Empire 8.
In addition, McGuigan’s squads excel in the classroom, earning Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Team Academic Honor from 2009-2018. Carly Augustyn was a Capital One/Co-SIDA Academic All-American selection in 2013, while Augustyn and Ashleigh Caruso were All-District selections. Nine members were named to the Liberty League All-Academic squad in 2018, while six were selected to the IWLCA/Zag Sports Division III Academic Honor Roll.
McGuigan also coached Kelsey Evans, who became RIT’s first women’s lacrosse All-America in 2009. Under McGuigan's tutelage, Evans was named the Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year three consecutive times. In 2009 Evans led the nation with a .594 save percentage.
McGuigan arrived at RIT after a very successful stint as the head varsity coach at Penfield High School. In 2006, he was named the Monroe County Class AA Coach of the Year. He has coached 44 Academic All-Americans and two National All-Americans. From 2002 to 2006, he led Penfield to a 52-21 record. He coached the U.S. Lacrosse U15 New York Team to a third place finish in 2009.
In addition, McGuigan coached girls modified soccer, basketball and cross-country, and was a modified and varsity football coach. McGuigan, a graduate of SUNY Cortland, received his bachelor’s degree in economics and public administration. He also played football for the Red Dragons.
McGuigan retired from the Rochester Police Department in 2006. He lives in Fairport with his wife, Susan, and has two children, Erin and Kevin and four grandchildren, Flynn, Chesney, Cormac and Murphy.
