University of Albany

Katie Thomson returned to the Capital Region and the University at Albany in June of 2018 when she was hired as the Great Danes' women's lacrosse head coach, and begins her sixth season leading the program in 2024.
 
The Great Danes had one of their best seasons in program history in 2023, finishing 13-7, winning the America East Tournament and Regular-Season titles, and advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.  UAlbany went a perfect 6-0 against America East opponents and defeated Binghamton 14-13 in the America East title game.  It was UAlbany’s third-ever title and first since the 2012 season.  Katie Pascale set a program and America East Tournament single-game record with 12 total points in the Great Danes’ semifinal against New Hampshire.  Pascale, the 2023 America East Midfielder of the Year and America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player, also set the program’s single season record with 139 draw controls, and the program’s career records for assists and total points.  Pascale would earn Inside Lacrosse All-America Honorable Mention accolades for the second-straight season.  Sarah Falk set the program’s single-season record for goals scored with 72.  In the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, UAlbany overcame a 10-3 deficit to upset #12 Virginia 16-14, with Falk scoring all seven of her goals in the second half.  It was just the second victory over a ranked opponent in Thomson’s tenure as head coach.  The Great Danes’ season ended in the Second Round with a narrow defeat to #5 Denver and the Pioneers’ top-ranked defense, 8-6.  At the end of the season, UAlbany led NCAA Division I teams in free-position percentage, ranked sixth in shot percentage, and ranked seventh in draw controls per game.  Falk ranked fifth in goals scored and sixth in free-position percentage.  Pascale ranked 11th in total points, 12th in draw controls per game, and 16th in total assists.

Katie Pascale, Sarah Falk, and Aislinn Sweeney each broke into the program's historical top-10 in various categories in 2022.  Pascale jumped into the top-10 for career assists, single-season points, and single-season assists.  Falk moved into the top-10 in single-season goals, and Sweeney in career saves.  Further, all three eclipsed the career centennial milestone in their various statistics. The Great Danes clinched hosting duties for the America East Tournament for the first time since 2011.  Head coach Katie Thomson, in her fourth season, had her jersey retired by Syracuse in ceremony early in the season, becoming one of the first four women to receive the honor from the Syracuse athletic department.

Thompson was named America East Coach of the Year in 2021.  2021 was a full season for UAlbany following the cancellation of the 2020 season after five games.  UAlbany went 11-7 overall and 7-2 in the America East.  Seven of UAlbany’s 18 games were against ranked opponents, including three against conference opponent Stony Brook.  The Great Danes also hosted Syracuse, whose head coach, Gary Gait, was Thomson’s coach during her time with the Orange.  Another highlight on the schedule was a visit to then-#20 Drexel.  The game featured a reunion for goalkeeper Georgia Schneidereith with two of her three quadruplet sisters.  Katie Pascale was named America East Rookie of the Year, the third-straight year the Great Danes won the award (Kendra Harbinger, 2018; Hailey Carroll, 2019).  Pascale was also named All-Conference Second Team and All-Rookie.  Clancy Rheude was named America East Co-Defensive Player of the Year, as well as All-Conference First Team and All-Rookie.  Madison Conway and Kyla Zapolski each earned All-Conference First Team honors, and Schneidereith, Harbinger, and Jordyn Marr were named to the Second Team.  Finally, Carroll, Marr, and Kadi Futia were named All-Academic.  UAlbany made its 10th-straight appearance in the America East championship game, and ninth-straight matchup in the title game against Stony Brook.  Finally, three players, Harbinger, Zapolski, and Conway, scored their 100th career goals.

On March 12, the 2020 season was cut short after five games due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent decisions made by the NCAA and its member conferences and institutions to cancel spring events.  UAlbany, picked second in the preseason conference poll and returned all but one player from the 2019 roster, had gone 3-2 before the season was ended.  Senior Sam Tortora, who entered the season as the program’s career leader in assists, recorded her 100th career assist on March 11 at Siena, in what would become the final game of the season.
 
In Thomson’s first season, UAlbany finished 11-7 overall, qualifying for their ninth-straight America East title game. The Great Danes boasted eight America East All-Conference First Team selections, including Offensive Player of the Year Madison Conway. Additionally, midfielder Sam Tortora set the program’s career record for assists, setting up Conway to cap off a comeback victory against New Hampshire in the regular season, before settling on 92 assists through her junior year.
 
Thomson, a native of Delmar, N.Y., who was an assistant at UAlbany from 2011-2012, came to the Great Danes from Wagner, where she had served as head coach for the past three years, guiding the Seahawks to two Northeast Conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, including a preliminary round victory this past season.
Thomson, who was a three-time First-Team All-American at Syracuse before graduating in 2009, has plenty of championship experience.
 
The Bethlehem High School graduate (Class of 2005) has been to 11 NCAA Tournaments: three as a player, four as an assistant coach at her alma mater, two as an assistant at UAlbany and two more at Wagner.  Thomson also won Federation of International Lacrosse World Cup gold medals with the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2009 and 2013.
 
Thomson has played and coached at the highest levels of college lacrosse.
 
At Syracuse, she led the nation in scoring in 2008 on her way to totaling 396 points (232 goals, 164 assists) in her career. She set Syracuse single-season records for points (142) and assists (69) in helping the Orange to the 2008 Final Four and was a four-time All-BIG EAST First-Team honoree.
  
After graduating with bachelor’s degrees in inclusive education/special education and sociology, she spent a year as a volunteer assistant coach with the Orange before taking a job at UAlbany before the 2011 season. That year, she helped the Great Danes win an America East championship, enjoy an 18-game win streak and reach the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. UAlbany repeated as league champions and returns to the NCAA Tournament in 2012.
 
Thomson returned to Syracuse as an assistant before the 2013 season. Working with the Orange’s offense, she coached three First-Team American attackers: Alyssa Murray, Kayla Treanor and Halle Majorana.
 
Thomson posted a 31-27 record at Wagner, a mark that includes a 14-6 campaign in 2018.