Year-By-Year Record
Jessie Aguglia is in her fifth season in charge of the Gardner-Webb University lacrosse program, taking over as the full-time head coach following the 2019 season. Aguglia served as interim head coach during the 2018-2019 academic year.
Aguglia is the all-time winningest head coach in Gardner-Webb women's lacrosse history with a total of 26 career victories during her first four years at the helm.
Entering the 2023 season, the 'Dogs are coming off the program's first win in the conference tournament after a 15-14 triumph at #4 Campbell on April 30 in the First Round. The season also saw the team set a new single-season record for wins (10) and have their best regular season finish coming in at fifth .
Gardner-Webb lacrosse experienced a boost under Aguglia, holding the three highest single-season win mark in 2019 (6), 2020 (6), 2022 (10) and posting the program's first winning record in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium in 2019. She holds the lone winning record in the program's history guiding GWU to a 6-3 record in 2020 and 10-9 in 2022. The Runnin' Bulldogs closed the 2020 season on their first four-game win streak with wins over Wofford, St. Bonaventure, Detroit Mercy, and VCU.
Aguglia mentored three All-Big South Conference second-team selections in Talen Francis, Abby Hanscom and Moninque Martin in 2019. Hanscom, a three-time All-Big South choice, set the GWU single-season mark with 42 goals and added 14 assists to pace the squad. She ranked in the top-5 in both goals and total points among Big South scorers.
In 2021, Aguglia helped guide Francis to a spot on the All-Big South Conference first-team, the first to receive that honor in school history. Heather Lobas also earned a selection on the postseason All-Conference Team after finishing third in the Big South in caused turnovers per game (1.64).
In 2022, she landed four players on the All-Big South Conference Teams, tied for the most in school history. Maddie Martin and Jada Preston each received a spot on the First Team while Lobas and Danielle Burke earned a place on the Second Team. Martin was Top Ten in the Big South for GBs, CTs, and DCs while Preston was one of the conference leaders in goals, assists, and points. Burke is the first goalkeeper from GWU to receive an postseason award. Lobas led the conference in caused turnovers per game while Burke was first in saves per game. The season also saw almost all individual single season records fall as Preston set new tallies for goals (55) and points (82) , Lauren Deaver (29) for assists, Martin for draw controls (121), and Burke in groundballs (62).
Aguglia took over the program following a stint as an assistant coach with the Runnin' Bulldogs. She joined the Gardner-Webb program from NCAA Division II UVA-Wise, where she served as an assistant coach in 2016. With Aguglia’s help, the Cavaliers posted an 11-5 overall record and a 4-2 mark in Mountain East play.
Prior to her arrival at UVA-Wise, Aguglia served as the head varsity coach at Boiling Springs High School in Boiling Springs, S.C. during their inaugural season.
Aguglia spent her collegiate career at nearby Limestone College, where she helped the Saints to four consecutive Conference Carolinas Tournament championships, four NCAA Tournament appearances, and two berths in the national championship game in 2011 and 2013.
The Webster, N.Y. native made 77 appearances over the course of her four-year career, totaling 66 goals, 11 assists, and 77 points. She also tallied 106 ground balls, 52 draw controls and caused 36 turnovers.
An outstanding student as well, Aguglia earned an induction in both the National College Athletics Honor Society and the History Honor Society in addition to a pair of President’s Awards at Limestone in 2011 and 2013. Aguglia graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history from Limestone in 2013.
