Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Lacrosse Head Coach Sara Tisdale Resigns
7/29/2024 2:30:00 PM | Lacrosse
Tisdale guided the newest varsity program on campus to great heights in two seasons
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Sara Tisdale has resigned her position as head coach of the Eastern Michigan University lacrosse program, EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee announced today, July 29. A national search for the third head coach in program history will begin immediately.
"I want to thank Sara for her dedication to getting the lacrosse program up and running and building a solid foundation for its future," Wetherbee said. "We have a bright future ahead with this program as we shift our focus toward bringing in a leader who will continue our push towards our ultimate goal of capturing the Mid-American Conference title."
Tisdale, who was announced as the Eagles' head coach June 21, 2022, guided the program through its first two varsity seasons with Eastern posting a 7-9 record in 2024 after finishing 2-14 in its inaugural season in 2023. Eastern's five-game improvement was evident in league play as well with the Eagles finishing 4-2 in 2024 and placing tied for second in the MAC standings after going 1-7 in 2023.
"I want to thank Scott Wetherbee for the incredible opportunity to get EMU Lacrosse off the ground," added Tisdale. "I have loved my time as an Eagle and am grateful for the dedication and hard work of our student-athletes and staff. I look forward to watching the program continue to grow, thrive, and be crowned MAC Champions in 2025. Additionally, I'm thankful for being able to help create a culture of inclusivity through the University's DEIB efforts."
The 2023 season saw a roster filled with freshmen as Eastern scored its first victory with a 12-7 home win over visiting Delaware State University, March 7, 2023, at Scicluna Field and capped the year with a 17-12 victory over local rival and league foe University of Detroit Mercy, April 29, 2023, also at home. Despite its record, Eastern played three contests it lost by one goal.
One year later, the program was vastly improved and placed second in the MAC to earn the third seed in the conference tournament, where it fell in its debut game to Robert Morris University in a game played in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Eastern accumulated numerous firsts, including its first back-to-back wins and first road wins with a 16-5 win at Howard University, Feb. 25, before taking an 18-6 decision at Delaware State, Feb. 28. EMU also added its first back-to-back conference wins with victories at the University of Akron, 11-10, March 24, before taking down visiting Kent State University, 12-11, March 31.
Sydney Lawrence was named the 2024 MAC Defensive Player of the Year while Maddie Porter was tabbed the 2024 MAC Freshman of the Year. Porter led the NCAA Division I ranks with 4.20 ground balls per game
Tisdale's first two teams also posted some of the top academic marks on campus and nationally. In 2023, the team recorded a cumulative grade-point average of 3.723, which ranked as the second-highest GPA among all NCAA Division I teams, trailing only the 3.781 recorded by Harvard University. In 2024, the team posted a mark of 3.738, which also figures to be among the best nationally.
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For updates on EMU Lacrosse, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the team on Instagram, @EMU_Lacrosse, and Twitter, @EMU_Lacrosse.
"I want to thank Sara for her dedication to getting the lacrosse program up and running and building a solid foundation for its future," Wetherbee said. "We have a bright future ahead with this program as we shift our focus toward bringing in a leader who will continue our push towards our ultimate goal of capturing the Mid-American Conference title."
Tisdale, who was announced as the Eagles' head coach June 21, 2022, guided the program through its first two varsity seasons with Eastern posting a 7-9 record in 2024 after finishing 2-14 in its inaugural season in 2023. Eastern's five-game improvement was evident in league play as well with the Eagles finishing 4-2 in 2024 and placing tied for second in the MAC standings after going 1-7 in 2023.
"I want to thank Scott Wetherbee for the incredible opportunity to get EMU Lacrosse off the ground," added Tisdale. "I have loved my time as an Eagle and am grateful for the dedication and hard work of our student-athletes and staff. I look forward to watching the program continue to grow, thrive, and be crowned MAC Champions in 2025. Additionally, I'm thankful for being able to help create a culture of inclusivity through the University's DEIB efforts."
The 2023 season saw a roster filled with freshmen as Eastern scored its first victory with a 12-7 home win over visiting Delaware State University, March 7, 2023, at Scicluna Field and capped the year with a 17-12 victory over local rival and league foe University of Detroit Mercy, April 29, 2023, also at home. Despite its record, Eastern played three contests it lost by one goal.
One year later, the program was vastly improved and placed second in the MAC to earn the third seed in the conference tournament, where it fell in its debut game to Robert Morris University in a game played in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Eastern accumulated numerous firsts, including its first back-to-back wins and first road wins with a 16-5 win at Howard University, Feb. 25, before taking an 18-6 decision at Delaware State, Feb. 28. EMU also added its first back-to-back conference wins with victories at the University of Akron, 11-10, March 24, before taking down visiting Kent State University, 12-11, March 31.
Sydney Lawrence was named the 2024 MAC Defensive Player of the Year while Maddie Porter was tabbed the 2024 MAC Freshman of the Year. Porter led the NCAA Division I ranks with 4.20 ground balls per game
Tisdale's first two teams also posted some of the top academic marks on campus and nationally. In 2023, the team recorded a cumulative grade-point average of 3.723, which ranked as the second-highest GPA among all NCAA Division I teams, trailing only the 3.781 recorded by Harvard University. In 2024, the team posted a mark of 3.738, which also figures to be among the best nationally.
Follow Us
For updates on EMU Lacrosse, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the team on Instagram, @EMU_Lacrosse, and Twitter, @EMU_Lacrosse.
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