Eastern Michigan Athletics
Lacrosse Names Irene Carlquist as Assistant Coach
8/12/2025 1:05:00 PM | Lacrosse
Former collegiate goalkeeper and head coach set to bolster defending MAC champion’s staff
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Irene Carlquist has been hired as an assistant coach for the Eastern Michigan University lacrosse program, Maddie Dugan, the program's second-year head coach, announced today, Aug. 12. Carlquist brings a wealth of knowledge to the program as a former goalkeeper and head coach at the college and high school levels.
"I am so excited to officially welcome Irene to Eastern Michigan and our women's lacrosse family," Dugan said. "She brings great experience from the college coaching world and a true passion for helping athletes grow. Our goalies will benefit tremendously from her knowledge, energy, and attention to detail, and I know she will have a positive influence on every player in our program. We can't wait to get started and see the impact she'll make both on and off the field."
"I'm so excited to be joining the Eagles and the lacrosse coaching staff," Carlquist said. "Having played for a new program myself, I know what it's like to see early success and can see how the foundation established here has the team positioned to continue to grow even further. I believe that the leadership Maddie brings will help the team propel forward and look forward to contributing to that success."
Carlquist comes to Ypsilanti after two years as the head coach at Lees-McRae College, an NCAA Division II institution in Banner Elk, N.C. During her time with the Bobcats, she worked with nine individuals that earned Conference Carolina Fall Presidential Honor Roll accolades while playing 15 games during that span.
Her first collegiate head coaching job came in 2023 when she was tabbed to lead Clarke University, an NAIA institution in Dubuque, Iowa. During her lone season, the Pride played to a 3-6 record overall and a 1-4 mark in Heart of America Athletic Conference play, culminating with a 21-1 home win to cap the season. Carlquist, who spent the 2022 season as the head coach of the varsity girls' program at Fishers High School in Fishers, Ind., started her coaching career as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Anderson University in Anderson, Ind.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Carlquist was a four-year member of the University of Indianapolis program (2016-19) where she earned her degree in sport management. After the Greyhounds went 6-12 in her freshman season, the team made huge strides the remainder of her playing days as they increased their win total each year, posting records of 13-5 in 2017, 16-4 in 2018, and 18-2 in 2019. All told, UIndy captured the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament title twice (2018 and 2019) before falling the opening round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Individually, the Downers Grove, Ill., native was named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year in 2016 to start a career in which she set three school records and finished second in two. Owner of the top four single-game save performances at UIndy, she set the record with 16 stops against McKendree (March 5, 2016) while also recording save totals of 15, 14, and 14 in her career. Her 9.11 saves per game and 164 total saves, both in 2016, rank as the best in UIndy single-season history. For her career, she ranks second with 267 saves and 5.93 saves per game average.
The Carlquist File
Name: Irene Carlquist
Hometown: Downers Grove, Ill.
High School: Downers Grove North (2015)
Education: University of Indianapolis – Bachelors of Sport Management (2019)
Education: Elmhurst University - Master's of Business Administration (2021)
Coaching Experience
Year(s) - School - Position
2025-pres. - Eastern Michigan University - Assistant Coach
2023-25 - Lees-McRae College - Head Coach
2022-23 - Clarke University - Head Coach
2021-22 - Fishers High School - Head Coach (Varsity Girls)
2020-22 - Anderson University - Assistant Coach
"I am so excited to officially welcome Irene to Eastern Michigan and our women's lacrosse family," Dugan said. "She brings great experience from the college coaching world and a true passion for helping athletes grow. Our goalies will benefit tremendously from her knowledge, energy, and attention to detail, and I know she will have a positive influence on every player in our program. We can't wait to get started and see the impact she'll make both on and off the field."
"I'm so excited to be joining the Eagles and the lacrosse coaching staff," Carlquist said. "Having played for a new program myself, I know what it's like to see early success and can see how the foundation established here has the team positioned to continue to grow even further. I believe that the leadership Maddie brings will help the team propel forward and look forward to contributing to that success."
Carlquist comes to Ypsilanti after two years as the head coach at Lees-McRae College, an NCAA Division II institution in Banner Elk, N.C. During her time with the Bobcats, she worked with nine individuals that earned Conference Carolina Fall Presidential Honor Roll accolades while playing 15 games during that span.
Her first collegiate head coaching job came in 2023 when she was tabbed to lead Clarke University, an NAIA institution in Dubuque, Iowa. During her lone season, the Pride played to a 3-6 record overall and a 1-4 mark in Heart of America Athletic Conference play, culminating with a 21-1 home win to cap the season. Carlquist, who spent the 2022 season as the head coach of the varsity girls' program at Fishers High School in Fishers, Ind., started her coaching career as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Anderson University in Anderson, Ind.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Carlquist was a four-year member of the University of Indianapolis program (2016-19) where she earned her degree in sport management. After the Greyhounds went 6-12 in her freshman season, the team made huge strides the remainder of her playing days as they increased their win total each year, posting records of 13-5 in 2017, 16-4 in 2018, and 18-2 in 2019. All told, UIndy captured the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament title twice (2018 and 2019) before falling the opening round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Individually, the Downers Grove, Ill., native was named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year in 2016 to start a career in which she set three school records and finished second in two. Owner of the top four single-game save performances at UIndy, she set the record with 16 stops against McKendree (March 5, 2016) while also recording save totals of 15, 14, and 14 in her career. Her 9.11 saves per game and 164 total saves, both in 2016, rank as the best in UIndy single-season history. For her career, she ranks second with 267 saves and 5.93 saves per game average.
The Carlquist File
Name: Irene Carlquist
Hometown: Downers Grove, Ill.
High School: Downers Grove North (2015)
Education: University of Indianapolis – Bachelors of Sport Management (2019)
Education: Elmhurst University - Master's of Business Administration (2021)
Coaching Experience
Year(s) - School - Position
2025-pres. - Eastern Michigan University - Assistant Coach
2023-25 - Lees-McRae College - Head Coach
2022-23 - Clarke University - Head Coach
2021-22 - Fishers High School - Head Coach (Varsity Girls)
2020-22 - Anderson University - Assistant Coach
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