Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) Vice President and Athletics Director Gerald Harrison named Melissa Rausch the first head women’s lacrosse coach in program history Tuesday.
“This is a monumental day for Austin Peay State University as we introduce the first head coach of our women’s lacrosse program,” said Harrison. “I am so excited to welcome Coach Rausch to Clarksville, where she will become the first Division I head women’s lacrosse coach at a public university in the state of Tennessee!
“Coach Rausch’s teams have been successful on and off the field, and I know she will be a champion of the ‘Total Gov Concept.’ I can’t wait to watch Coach Rausch build Austin Peay women’s lacrosse into a championship-caliber program! It is a great day to be a Gov!”
Rausch has spent the past five seasons at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), beginning as an assistant coach in 2020 before being named head coach prior to the 2022 season. Before her time in Colorado Springs, Rausch began her collegiate coaching career at Nichols College, where she served as the assistant director of athletics, head women’s lacrosse coach, and assistant men’s lacrosse coach.
Prior to her move into collegiate athletics, Rausch was the Girl’s National Director for 3D Lacrosse. She also worked at the high school level for six years as a boy’s and girl’s head lacrosse coach, as well as coaching field hockey.
“I would like to thank Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison and President Dr. Mike Licari for seeing the value of adding a women’s lacrosse program at Austin Peay State University, and of course, for their belief in me to start this program,” said Rausch. “I would also like to thank Jordan Harmon, Mannie Reinsch, and the entire search committee for not only their confidence in me, but for sharing their love and Austin Peay State University pride, making it impossible not to be ecstatic for this opportunity.
“The sport of lacrosse has offered me so many opportunities, and I am honored to have the opportunity to show APSU, Clarksville, and the Montgomery County communities how exciting women’s lacrosse is and to be able to continue to grow the sport. To have the privilege to be trusted to not only coach at Austin Peay State University but to start a Division I program is humbling and a dream come true.
“I would like to thank Alex Kohler and the entire UCCS community for all their support over the years. Colorado Springs and the UCCS community provided my family and I some of the best years of our lives. I also want to thank Eric Gobiel, who believed in me and offered me my first college coaching job. Without all of their confidence in me, I would never be in the position to get this dream opportunity.
“One of the important parts of having the privilege of coaching at the collegiate level is immersing myself into the community and continuing to grow the sport. I can’t wait to get to Clarksville and see where and how I can help support the sport of lacrosse. Let’s Go Peay!”
In her final season at UCCS, Rausch led the Mountain Lions to a 7-9 overall record with a 5-5 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play. In her two seasons at the helm of UCCS, Rausch led the program to 22 wins and three straight trips to the RMAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship.
In just three seasons, Rausch helped 14 players earn First or Second Team All-RMAC recognition after the program had earned just one all-conference honor in its first five seasons. During the 2024 season, freshman Sarah Urbanic was named the RMAC Freshman of the Year after ranking second on the team and 10th in the conference with 25 goals.
Senior Julia Patrick also earned First Team All-RMAC honors in 2024 after leading the Mountain Lions in goals (46), points (56), and game-winning goals (2). Patrick ranked third in the RMAC in goals per game (2.88), third in shots per game (5.63), and fourth in points per game (3.50). Patrick also was a First Team All-RMAC selection in 2023 after earning Second Team All-RMAC in Rasuch’s first season at the helm in 2022.
Goalkeeper Madison McGriff also earned RMAC Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 2022 and 2023 while picking up First Team All-RMAC honors in each of those seasons. McGriff was a USA Lacrosse Magazine All-America Honorable Mention in 2023 after setting the UCCS single-season records for saves (200) and saves per game (11.8).
Before her time at UCCS, Rausch served as head women’s lacrosse coach at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts, where she has the third-most wins by a head coach in the program’s 24-year history. Rausch coached two women’s lacrosse players to All-Commonwealth Coast Conference honors, and another 20 student-athletes earned CCC Academic All-Conference honors during her time at Nichols College.
Rausch also served as an assistant coach for the men’s lacrosse program at Nichols College and led the Bison to a pair of CCC Tournament appearances. She also served as assistant director of athletics at Nichols College, where she ran day-to-day operations for the athletic department’s transportation, marketing, and sports information departments.
Before her collegiate coaching career, Rausch oversaw all girl’s operations for 3D Lacrosse, the largest lacrosse recruiting and training company in the United States. Rausch began her prep coaching career as the head girl’s lacrosse coach at Rampart High School (2011-15), before serving as the co-head boy’s lacrosse coach at Pine Creek High School (2015-17) and the head girl’s lacrosse coach at Kent Denver School (2015-17).
Before coaching at the high school level, Rausch was the director of operations and lacrosse coach for Team 180 Sports in Denver for nearly two years.
A native of Sterling, Massachusetts, Rausch earned her bachelor’s in business administration from Elmira College in 2000. A dual-sport student-athlete, Rausch competed in lacrosse and field hockey for the Soaring Eagles.
Melissa Rausch’s Coaching History
June 25th, 2024, Named Austin Peay State University’s First Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach
2022-24, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Head Coach
2020-21, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Assistant Coach
2017-19, Nichols College, Head Coach (WLAX) / Assistant Coach (MLAX)
