DIRECTOR OF COACHING, PLAYER DEVELOPMENT & RECRUITING
Head Coach of 2027 Mager

Legendary Hudson Valley Lacrosse Coach Ellen Mager is the head coach of the Yellow Jackets North 2027AA team. One of the most accomplished girls’ lacrosse coaches in the history of lacrosse in the Hudson Valley, Coach Mager enjoyed a Hall of Fame career at Yorktown High School, where she served the program for 21 years, including 15 as Head Coach. Her run at the Huskers’ helm was highlighted by eight sectional championships, seven regional titles, and three New York State championships. When including her six years as an Assistant Coach, she was responsible for 11 sectional titles, 10 regional championships, and four New York State crowns. Hundreds of Mager-guided players competed in college at every level, including dozens of college All-Americans and national championship participants. Coach Mager is a member of the Hudson Valley Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

DIRECTOR OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Head Coach of 2026 McDonough

A lifelong fixture in Hudson Valley Lacrosse, Jess McDonough brings more than 15 years of coaching experience to Yellow Jackets North, where she currently serves as Head Coach of the program’s 2026 and 2031 teams. After competing for Mahopac High School, Coach McDonough moved on to Sacred Heart University, where she enjoyed a stellar playing career at the Division I level. After graduation, McDonough began her coaching career at Scarsdale High School as the freshman coach, before moving to Horace Greeley, where she served as the Assistant Varsity Coach. McDonough then returned to Mahopac High School, where she was the Assistant Varsity Coach, earning tremendous success as a defensive coach. She then took her skills to Briarcliff High School as Head Varsity Coach, where she has led the program to unprecedented success, leading the Bears to their first-ever section semifinal win, earning McDonough New York State Class D Coach of the Year in 2019. She then moved on to John Jay High School in Katonah as Head Varsity Coach and has led the team to three sectional championships, a regional runner-up finish, a regional championship, and a trip to the New York State Championship Game. With her success at John Jay, McDonough has earned a slew of accolades, including 2021 New York State Class C Coach of the Year, 2022 Class B Coach of the Year, 2022 Lohud Coach of the Year, 2023 Conference II Coach of the Year, and 2023 USA Lacrosse Coach of the Year. Coach McDonough also worked as one of the Hudson Valley National Team Coaches from 2014 to 2018.

DIRECTOR OF COACHING & PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Varsity Head Coach at Fox Lane

Jaime Williams was named Head Coach of Pleasantville (NY) Girl'’ Lacrosse in October 2017. In his first season, Williams led the Panthers to a 15- 4 season, a League Championship, and to the Section Semi-Finals. His team was also the Champions of the 2018 Mt. Pleasant Cup. His players picked up 10 postseason awards with 7 All-League and 3 All-Section players. The 2013 Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) Coach of the Year as Head Coach at Danbury (Conn.) High School, Williams brings more than a decade of coaching at all levels to Yellow Jackets North. At Danbury High School, Williams developed the Hatters into a perennial postseason contender, highlighted by a 15-5 record and a trip to the 2013 FCIAC Semifinals, while competing in one of the most competitive girls lacrosse conferences in the country. Before Danbury High School, Williams worked as an Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Western Connecticut State University and served as Head Girls’ Lacrosse Coach at Brookfield (CT) High School. During a successful 2018 season, Coach Williams won his 90th career game.

RECRUITING DIRECTOR
2028 Head Coach

Melissa Alamprese brings championship-level experience and deep roots in the Westchester lacrosse community to Yellow Jackets North. She is currently in her seventh year as the assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Pace University and has over 20 years of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels. Coach Alamprese was most recently part of Pace University’s historic women’s lacrosse staff that captured the program’s first-ever NCAA Championship, defeating top-seeded West Chester in the title game. The team finished the season ranked No. 1 nationally, and the coaching staff was named IWLCA National Coaching Staff of the Year. Prior to Pace, Coach Alamprese led Croton Harmon High School to its first winning season, first playoff appearance, and first league championship, earning Section 1 Coach of the Year honors. She also spent 15 seasons at Yorktown High School as both an assistant and head coach, helping guide the program to six Section 1 titles, six regional championships, and four New York State Championships. She was named Coach of the Year three times during her tenure. In addition to coaching, Coach Alamprese is a physical education teacher at Croton Harmon High School. She is a graduate of Springfield College, where she earned a degree in Movement Studies with a minor in Coaching and competed on the women’s lacrosse team. Coach Alamprese will serve as YJN’s Recruiting Director, working closely with all YJN athletes to guide them through the college recruiting process. She will also run the offense for the YJN 2028 team, providing high-level skill development while helping players understand what it takes to compete at the collegiate level.

DIRECTOR OF GOALIE DEVELOPMENT

Coach Porter brings over 16 years of coaching experience and a lifelong passion for lacrosse to the Hendrick Hudson Girls Varsity program. A proud graduate of Mahopac High School, he helped lead his team to consecutive Section 1 championships in 1992 and 1993 before serving his country as a Military Police Officer in the U.S. Army. He has spent more than a decade coaching travel lacrosse and served as Director of Cortlandt Youth Lacrosse from 2015 to 2023. After 10 seasons as Hen Hud’s JV Coach, Porter now leads the varsity team, having been part of the coaching staff that captured the 2021 Section 1 title. In addition to his work on the field, he is the founder of Track & Attack Goalie Training, where he has developed elite goalies recognized with All-American, All-Section, and All-League honors. He also serves as a goalie instructor for the nationally respected 6x6 Goalie Academy in Holland, Michigan.

Kasey Rubenstein brings proven leadership, competitive success, and a strong multi-sport background to the Yellow Jackets North coaching staff. She is currently the Varsity Head Coach for both girls lacrosse and field hockey at White Plains High School, where she has quickly transformed two previously struggling programs into top contenders. In her most recent season, Coach Rubenstein led the girls lacrosse team to a #4 seed in Class A and guided the girls field hockey team to an impressive 14-1-1 record, earning the #2 seed in Class A. Her ability to build culture, develop athletes, and produce results has made an immediate impact across both programs. Professionally, Kasey works for Northern Westchester BOCES and holds a doctorate in Physical and Occupational Therapy. Her advanced clinical background informs her coaching approach, with a strong emphasis on athlete health, injury prevention, and long-term development. As a player, she competed at the University of New England, where she was a four-year starter on the women’s lacrosse team. She recorded over 100 ground balls, served as a two-year team captain, and earned multiple honors, including the team’s Coach’s Award in 2017 and CCC Defensive Player of the Week in 2015. Academically, Coach Rubenstein majored in Sport Management, was a Dean’s List student, and a member of the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll. Before college, she captained both the lacrosse and field hockey teams at Somers High School and was an All-League selection in each sport. Coach Rubenstein brings a winning mindset, a strong player-development focus, and firsthand recruiting and collegiate experience that will greatly benefit YJN athletes.

Head Coach of 2028 Howe

Yellow Jackets North 2028AA Head Coach Kaleigh Howe brings a wealth of experience as a player and coach to the program, as she currently serves as the Head Lacrosse Coach at Pelham Memorial High School. A graduate of Pearl River High School, where she helped lead the Pirates to their first ever Sectional and Regional Championships, Coach Howe played collegiately at Division I Manhattan College, before embarking on a coaching career that has included stops at Scarsdale Youth Lacrosse, and Lightning Lacrosse (Clarkstown, NY), as well as a stint at her alma mater, Pearl River High School. Coach Howe has been at Pelham Memorial High School since 2019.

Head Coach of 2028 Merriman

YJN 2028A Head Coach Don Merriman has been the Head Varsity Coach at North Salem High School since 2019. A level 1 and level 2 USA Lacrosse certified coach, he has also coached at the youth and middle school levels. He is a certified school psychologist and licensed clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience.

2028A Assistant Coach Dan Perito is currently the Head Coach at Briarcliff High School, where he took over in 2020, and proceeded to guide the Bears to league titles in 2021 and 2023, a section finals appearance in 2023, and earned Coach of the Year honors in 2023. In the past, coach Perito has coached football and boys lacrosse, and currently also He currently coaches the girls modified soccer team at Briarcliff High School, and is the Varsity Ice Hockey coach at Horace Greeley High School. He has also coached football and boys’ lacrosse throughout the Hudson Valley. During seven years as the hockey coach at Horace Greeley, he has reached two sectional finals and has won three Coach of the Year awards. Coach Perito is a graduate of Hofstra University and is a certified Physical Education and Health teacher.

Former Yorktown High School All-American, and University of North Carolina Team Captain Sarah Scott is Head Coach of the Yellow Jackets North 2029AA team. Coach Scott played High School lacrosse for YJN 2027AA Head Coach Ellen Mager, and then proceeded to star for the Tar Heels, earning two National Championships at UNC, while setting a school record with 75 draw controls. She was a three-time all-sectional honoree who helped guide Yorktown HS to three straight sectional championships, two regional titles and two appearances in the state semifinals (one title-game appearance in 2009).

Yellow Jackets North 2029A Head Coach and Goalie Coach Tess McFadden comes to YJN after a stellar playing career at SUNY Geneseo, where she led the Knights in goal from 2016-2019. While at Geneseo, the team averaged 12 wins per year, while playing in the ultra-competitive SUNYAC. As a coach, McFadden worked as a goalie coach for Fox Lane High School, and most recently served as a modified coach in Valhalla, New York.

Pleasantville High School Head Coach Hannah Tiso is the YJN 2030AA Head Coach, and has enjoyed two tremendous seasons at the Panther helm, leading Pleasantville to consecutive Section Semifinals, earning Coach of the Year honors in 2024. Tiso starred at Somers High School, leading the Tuskers to a New York State Championship, before heading to SUNY Cortland, where she helped lead the Red Dragons to the NCAA Elite-8. YJN marks Coach Tiso’s second stint with a club program, as she previously coached with Prime Time.

Yorktown High School and Iona University alumnus Bridget Sickles is the Head Coach for the YJN 2033 team. She is also the Assistant Coach at Hendrick Hudson High School. An ENL teacher for K-2 in the Hendrick Hudson School District, Coach Sickles has more than a decade of experience on the sidelines for nearly every age group, and was on the coaching staff at Yorktown High School before her current role at Hendrick Hudson High School.

Yellow Jackets North 2027 Assistant Coach Kathryn Perrella is in her third season with YJN, and has served as Head Coach at her alma mater - Nyack High School - since 2009. She ascended to the Head Coach role after two years running the JV program. After an outstanding basketball and lacrosse career at Nyack, Coach Kat played and captained the women's lacrosse team at the University of Notre Dame. After college, she was a varsity official for five years before beginning her coaching career at Nyack HS. During her time as varsity head coach, she has led her team to multiple league titles, and has two Section Championships, two Regional Championships, and two State Final Four appearances. She has been named Journal News All-County Coach of the Season and Conference Coach of the Season. Kat is also the President of her community non-profit organization Nyack Youth Lacrosse.

Head Coach at Pace University
2023 National Champion & Division II Coach of the Year

Assistant Coach, 2026 McDonough

Varsity Head Coach at Keio Academy

Head Coach, 2026 Berger

Assistant Coach, 2028 Howe

Assistant Coach at Pace University

Varsity Assistant Coach at Ridgefield

Former Division I Player @ Syracuse

Former Division I Player @ Ohio State

Former Division I Player @ Holy Cross

Former Division I Player @ UConn

Current Division I Player @ Eastern Michigan

Current Division I Player @ Stony Brook

Former Division I Player @ Coastal Carolina University

Division II Player @ University of Mount Olive

Former Division II Player @ Missouri Western State

Current Division II Player @ Missouri Western State

Assistant Coach, 2026 Berger
Former Division II Player @ Southern Connecticut State

Current Player @ University of Maryland Club

Current Division II Player @ Newberry College