Caitlyn Phipps- Head Coach
Georgetown University Francis X. Rienzo Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed has named Caitlyn Phipps as the new head coach of the women’s lacrosse program. Phipps comes to the Hilltop after spending the past 12 seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland. She brings 15 years of collegiate coaching experience, as well as an impressive playing career for the Terps. As a coach, Phipps has mentored six Tewaaraton winners, five National Midfielders of the Year, one National Attack Player of the Year and 13 Conference Players of the Year.
“I’m thrilled to announce Caitlyn Phipps as our new head women’s lacrosse coach,” Reed said. “Caitlyn is a proven winner with a passion for the game, her success as both a player and a coach make her the obvious choice to lead our program. As one of the top assistants in the country and a Maryland native, she will transform our recruiting network and make an immediate impact on our student-athletes. We welcome Caitlyn and her family into the Georgetown community, and look forward to working with her to build upon our foundation of tradition and success.”
Phipps, a former Maryland Tewaaraton Award winner, returned to the Terrapin women’s lacrosse program as an assistant coach in August of 2012 and has helped lead the Terps to four national championships, eight Final Fours and 14 conference championships in her 12 years on staff. In her time at UMD, Phipps has coached six Tewaaraton winners, five National Midfielders of the Year, one National Attack Player of the Year and 13 Conference Players of the Year.
The Terps got back to the Final Four in 2022 and won both the Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Championship, as Phipps’ offense led the Big Ten averaging 16.1 goals per game. Phipps coached Tewaaraton Finalist and Big Ten Attacker of the Year Aurora Cordingley to the best year of her career as she rose to one of the top attackers in the nation.
2019 was a banner year for Phipps and the Terps as Maryland captured their 15th national championship. Phipps’ offense scored the most goals they had under Cathy Reese with 25 in the National Semifinal against Northwestern. The offense averaged just over 15 goals per game led by Tewaaraton finalist and Big Ten Midfielder of the Year Jen Giles.
Phipps coached Tewaaraton finalist and the Big Ten Attacker of the Year Megan Whittle in 2018 as the senior became Maryland’s all-time leading goal scorer, breaking Jen Adams’ 17 year old record. The Terps won their fourth consecutive Big Ten regular season title and third consecutive Big Ten tournament title, averaging 16.2 goals per game.
The Terps completed perfection in 2017 as Phipps and the Terps won their 14th national championship. It was a team effort as six different Terps recorded over 70 points led by Megan Whittle’s 87 and Tewaaraton Award winner Zoe Stukenberg’s 84.
In the 2016 season, Phipps helped Taylor Cummings become the first player ever to win the Tewaaraton Award three different times as she tallied 79 points and 144 draw controls. Maryland won both the Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Championships while reaching their eighth-straight final four.
Phipps helped lead Maryland to their second national championship in a row in 2015 behind Tewaaraton winner Cummings and the first ever Big Ten Attacker of the Year, Brooke Griffin. Maryland averaged just over 14 goals per game in their first year in the Big Ten.
In her second season with the Terps in 2014, Phipps helped Maryland to its sixth-consecutive ACC title and the NCAA Championship. Phipps assisted Cummings in becoming the IWLCA National Midfielder of the Year and the first sophomore to win the Tewaaraton Award.
Phipps was integral in the Terps’ ACC title in 2013, leading a talented midfield to a fifth straight championship. The former Tewaaraton winner helped former teammate and two-time Tewaaraton winner Katie Schwarzmann land top IWLCA midfield honors for a third straight season while aiding the Terps to one of the most prolific offenses in the country.
“I am truly honored to join the Georgetown lacrosse family,” remarked Phipps. “Georgetown is a premier university that is known for excellence in both athletics and academics and I look forward to competing at the highest level and developing our student-athletes both on and off the field. I am excited to connect with all the incredible people associated with Georgetown women’s lacrosse, from alumni to supporters to this current group of student-athletes as we embark on our next path as a program together. I’d like to thank Director of Athletics Lee Reed, Kelli Myers and the entire search committee for putting their support and trust behind me to lead this program.”
Phipps returned to College Park as one of the most decorated players in Maryland women’s lacrosse history. She was a two-time IWLCA First Team All-American, two-time ACC Player of the Year, two-time ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2010 as she guided Maryland to its first national title since 2001.
In the fall of 2022, Phipps was selected for induction into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame.
“I’ve always told myself it would take a really special place to get me to leave my alma mater, and Georgetown is just that,” said Phipps. “Thank you to Cathy Reese for your leadership, guidance, friendship and all the memories we have made together at Maryland. You have taught me what it takes to run a program at the highest level and I can’t wait to take all I’ve learned from you just a few miles down the road.”
A native of Phoenix, Maryland, Phipps earned a degree in kinesiology from Maryland in 2010.
Phipps spent two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Florida. She helped guide UF to the final four of the NCAA tournament in 2012.
In addition to her playing experience at Maryland, Phipps played on the U.S. national team. She won a gold medal at the 2009 FIL World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic, recording four assists to help guide the U.S. to a 4-0 record heading into the elimination round and also won gold in 2013.
Phipps married former Maryland men’s lacrosse goalkeeper Brian Phipps in December 2014 and has two daughters, Mackenzie and Chloe.
Julie Morse- Assistant Coach
Julie Morse is in her third season with the Hoyas. She came to Georgetown from Campbell where she was the defensive coach for two seasons.
During her first season with the Hoyas in 2022, GU finished with a record of 9-9 and 3-2 in BIG EAST Conference play. The team defeated Marquette 17-13 in the BIG EAST Semifinals before falling to Denver in overtime 16-15. The team boasted eight All-BIG EAST honorees. Additionally, LizaBanks Campagna was named IWLCA Second Team All-South Region.
At Campbell, the Camels went 8-7 with an impressive mark of 5-1 in the Big South Conference. The team boasted a four-game win streak to close out the regular season. The Camels had a record seven players on the All-Big South team including a pair of defenders. In a shortened 2020 season, Morse’s first in Buies Creek, the Camels went 2-7 before the season was called due to COVID-19.
Prior to Campbell, Morse spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Washington College where she helped the Shorewomen to top 25 IWLCA poll rankings in each of her final two seasons, including No. 24 in the final poll of 2019, going 12-6 overall and 7-2 in Centennial Conference play. Five Shorewomen were named All-Centennial Conference in 2019, while two claimed all-region nods.
Prior to Washington, Morse played at Loyola, helping the Greyhounds to three conference titles, reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Tournament two times and advancing to the second round twice in her career. Loyola won the BIG EAST championship in 2012 and consecutive Patriot League championships in 2014 and 2015. As a senior, she helped the team rank No. 10 nationally in the final IWLCA Division I poll, and was a part of the 15th-best scoring defense in the nation.
An Easton, Maryland native, Morse graduated from Loyola in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in speech-language pathology, and has also coached at the prep and club ranks, with stops at Saint Peter and Paul High School, Bay Area Lacrosse Club and Maximum Exposure Lacrosse Camp. She was also a coach and leadership counselor at the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Academy.
Morse is currently working on a master’s in sports leadership from VCU which she will complete in 2022. She resides in the District of Columbia.
Alice Johns- Assistant Coach
Georgetown University Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Caitlyn Phipps announced on Wednesday that Alice Johns will be joining the 2025 coaching staff while Eloise Clevenger will be hired as the Director of Women’s Lacrosse Operations.
“Alice is an exceptional addition to our staff,” said Phipps. “Her playing experience at the highest levels and her ability to inspire and connect with athletes make her a phenomenal asset to our program. As one of the best defenders to play the game, she brings passion and leadership that will continue to help us build a culture of excellence here on the Hilltop. We are thrilled that Eloise will be joining us here at Georgetown. Her success, both on and off the field, as a student-athlete makes her the perfect candidate for our Director of Operations. She will be an essential part of helping us achieve our goals.”
Johns joins the Hoyas after spending three seasons (2016-19) as an assistant coach at Niagara University. Johns earned her master’s degree in school counseling from Niagara University.
Prior to coaching, Johns was a defender for the University of Maryland (2013-16) under Coach Phipps. Johns helped the Terps to four regular-season conference titles, three conference tournament titles, four NCAA Championship game appearances, and two NCAA Championships in 2014 and 2015. While playing for the Terps, Johns earned two NCAA All-Tournament honors, three first-team all-conference honors, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, IWLCA National Defender of the Year, and was named an IWLCA First Team All-American. During her senior year at Maryland, Johns was honored as one of five women who were named finalists for the Tewaaraton Award, given annually to the top player in collegiate lacrosse. Johns graduated in 2016 from Maryland with a Bachelor’s degree in sociology.
In addition to playing at Maryland, Johns played on the U.S. National Team. She won a gold medal at the 2017 FIL World Cup in Guildford, England. Johns also won gold at the 2022 World Lacrosse Championship in Towson, Maryland where she was the only defender to be named to the All-World Team.
Eloise Clevenger- Director of Women’s Lacrosse Operations
Clevenger joins the Hoyas after playing four seasons for the University of Maryland. In 2023, Clevenger was first in the Big Ten and eighth in the nation with 47 assists and earned First Team All-Big Ten, IWLCA First Team All-Region and IWLCA Third Team All-American Honors. As a senior in 2024, Clevenger was on the Tewaararton Award watch list and received First Team All-Big Ten and IWLCA Third Team All-American honors. Clevenger graduated from Maryland in the spring of 2024 with a degree in Communications.
