Maria Patane begins her first season as interim women’s lacrosse head coach at Johnson & Wales (RI) University in 2022-23.
Patane spend the 2022 campaign as a volunteer assistant coach with the Wildcats, who closed the season 14-6 overall (11-2 Great Northeast Athletic Conference) and advanced to the GNAC Championship. A total of eight student-athletes received all-conference honors, including current sophomore Emma Glyman, who was named GNAC Goalkeeper of the Year.
“We are excited to have Maria lead our WLAX program during the 2023 season,” said Garfield. “As a former member of multiple championship teams and proud alumnus, Maria brings with her a passion and commitment to this program and these student-athletes. She has extensive experience in the sport and tremendous insight into what is needed to build and maintain a high-caliber program.”
A 2020 graduate of JWU, Patane was a four-year member of the women’s lacrosse program, earning GNAC First Team and All-Tournament Team honors in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The Greenwich, New York native closed her career with 267 points (166 G, 101 A) in 68 games. Patane scored a career-high 67 goals as a sophomore in 2018 before racking up a career-high 102 points the following season. The Wildcats captured three GNAC titles during Patane’s career (2017-19) and made three NCAA Tournament appearances.
“I am honored for the opportunity to return to Johnson & Wales University and continue the tradition of success the program has built,” said Patane. “The accomplishments of JWU women’s lacrosse have been influenced by several distinguished coaches, many of whom helped develop my own skills and leadership style. I’m incredibly humbled to continue the path they have paved. A huge ‘Thank You!’ to the JWU community, athletic department, parents, and alumni for the support they continue to show this organization that I have long called family. The team and I are hard at work to get ready for an exciting spring season.”
Patane – who completed an internship with the Brown University Athletic Department during the 2019-20 school year – served as a lacrosse coach for Team Elevate during the summer of 2017, where she worked with high school athletes. The following summer, she worked with 3d Lacrosse as the head coach of a team consisting of youth and high school athletes. At Brown, Patane supervised various NCAA Division I home contests and assisted the compliance office with monthly legislative proposals and compliance meetings.
A current resident of Providence, Patane earned her bachelor of science in Sports, Entertainment, and Event – Management in May of 2020.
