SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Christine Halfpenny announced Caroline Curnal as the newest addition to her staff Thursday afternoon. Curnal joins the Irish staff as an assistant coach after spending the last year in the same role for the University of Pennsylvania’s women’s lacrosse program.
“Caroline will be working with both the offense and draw units this season,” said Halfpenny. “She brings high level draw expertise, which will make an immediate impact on our program. Her energy, focus, IQ, and work ethic are all qualities that made her an excellent fit!”
She helped guide the program to a 15-5 season, where they advanced all the way to the NCAA quarterfinal round in 2024. Penn ranked as high as fifth during the course of the regular season, boasted one of the strongest defensive units in the country, and saw Niki Miles break program records for draw controls in a game and a season. Miles was one of four first-team All-Ivy and three All-Americans on the roster, and another of those All-America picks (Izzy Rohr) was the Ivy League Defender of the Year for the second straight season.
Curnal, a 2023 Villanova graduate, started 47 of the 54 games she played in and totaled 94 points and 17 assists for 111 points. In addition to her record 382 draws, she had 34 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers.
She capped off her Wildcat career as the team captain and draw specialist, breaking the program’s career draw record with 382 and the single-single season mark with 155. She finished with 41 goals and eight assists, scoring in 14 of the 17 games, and earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST first team. That was her second appearance on the first team, as she also garnered the honor in 2022 when she also was first-team IWLCA All-Region.
“I want to first extend a big thank you to Chris, Lauren, Katie and the Notre Dame Athletic department for this incredible opportunity,” said Curnal. “I’m filled with gratitude accepting this position as an assistant coach at the University of Notre Dame. It is truly a privilege to join this staff and program and I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s success and the university’s esteemed legacy. Lastly, a special thank you to my mentors who continuously support me in chasing my dreams. I’m thrilled to begin this next chapter in South Bend. Go Irish!”