Katelyn Sherman is in her fourth season as the head coach of the Ave Maria University women's lacrosse program.
Sherman was named the fourth head coach of the Ave Maria University women's lacrosse program in August 2022. Sherman is an alum of the University and returned to AMU as the program's all-time leader in points & goals, a record that stood until 2025, when two of her players, Hannah Shaffrey & Abigail Seiler set the new program records, respectively.
During her tenure at Ave Maria, Sherman has guided the Gyrenes to sustained postseason success, with appearances in the SUN Conference Tournament in both 2024 and 2025. The program advanced to the conference semifinals in each season, marking consecutive deep runs and continued competitive growth within the conference.
The 2025 season proved to be one of the most decorated in program history under Sherman’s leadership. Ave Maria produced four NAIA Third Team All-Americans, seven NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athletes, two SUN All-Tournament Team selections, four First Team All-SUN Conference honorees, and three Second Team All-SUN Conference selections. The Gyrenes also claimed the SUN Conference Offensive Player of the Year award.
In 2024, Sherman led a squad that earned three NAIA Third Team All-American selections, five NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athletes, two SUN All-Tournament Team honors, two First Team All-SUN Conference selections, one Second Team All-SUN Conference selection, and two All-SUN Honorable Mention recipients.
During the 2023 season, Ave Maria produced two First Team All-SUN Conference selections, two Second Team All-SUN Conference honorees, and two All-SUN Honorable Mentions. The season was highlighted by a historic 14–12 home victory over then-No. 1 ranked Benedictine College (Kan.), the first win over a top-ranked NAIA opponent in program history.
Before returning to Ave Maria, Sherman was the head coach at William Penn University in Iowa, a fellow NAIA member. During the 2022 season, the team reached the KCAC Tournament Quarterfinals and produced two all-KCAC players, six KCAC Scholar-Athletes, and four NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
Her collegiate coaching experience also includes two seasons at Elmira College in New York, an NCAA Division III program. She was an assistant coach during the shortened 2020 season, then took the reigns as interim head coach entering the 2021 campaign. In her season as head coach, Elmira's last as a varsity program, Sherman guided the Soaring Eagles to a winning record, the school's first in more than a decade.
During her playing career at Ave Maria, Sherman was a dominant attacker. A four-time All-Conference selection and 2017 NAIA Second Team All-American, Sherman scored 142 goals over her four years in southwest Florida and added 26 assists. Her goal & point total stood as the program record for six years.
Beyond her coaching responsibilities, Sherman is actively involved in national and conference leadership roles within the sport. She served as the NAIA The SUN Conference Women’s Lacrosse Chair in Spring 2023 and was a member of the NAIA Coaches Executive Committee from 2022 to 2024. Sherman currently serves as the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) NAIA Representative on the Board of Directors, a position she has held since August 2022.
Sherman has continued playing lacrosse since her graduation from Ave Maria. In the summer of 2022, Sherman suited up for Team China at the 2022 World Lacrosse Women's World Championship. Sherman scored a goal in China's platinum bracket victory over South Korea and helped the Chinese to a winning record on the biggest stage of women's lacrosse.
