Clarkson University Director of Athletics, Scott Smalling, has announced that Ally Burrows will become the 13
th coach in Clarkson Women's Lacrosse history. Ally has been the Assistant Coach for the past three seasons, under departing Head Coach Ben Gaebel. Gaebel who was named Assistant Athletic Director 3 years ago, will step away from the sideline to focus his efforts on his duties helping Golden Knight Athletics.
"We are very excited to welcome Ally as the next head coach of Women's Lacrosse. She is a rising star in the coaching profession, who has helped build on the program's success in her three years as an assistant with the program. She is a student of the game and is always looking for new and innovative ideas both in recruiting and on the field." said Gaebel. "Not only is Ally a great coach, she is a better person. The players respect her ideas and are always looking to her for guidance on and off of the field. We are excited to have her continue the growth of our women's lacrosse program."
"I am honored and extremely grateful to be named head coach of women's lacrosse at Clarkson University. I am thankful for Director of Athletics Scott Smalling, Senior Associate Athletic Director Laurel Kane, and the rest of the search committee for seeing my vision and offering me this opportunity." said Burrows. "It is a privilege to represent such a reputable university and lacrosse program. Clarkson has a special place in my heart and I am excited to continue my journey here and to continue the lacrosse program's success. I look forward to working alongside our outstanding student-athletes, staff, administrators, and alumni to build upon the rich culture and legacy of Clarkson Women's Lacrosse."
Burrows, originally from Marcellus, NY, played for Marcellus High School and will be able to continue the strong recruiting in the Upstate NY region. "Growing up in a lacrosse hotspot, I have been fortunate to play for some legendary coaches through youth and high school lacrosse. Particularly Dick Lundblad, Bill Hennigan, Ron Hill, Jim Seeley, and Ron Moore. I would like to thank them along with John Conklin for instilling a foundation of knowledge and passion for the sport. Without them, I would not have been able to play or coach collegiately and for their impact on my entire career I am grateful."
The accent of Burrows coaching career has been a unique one, having spent most of her time at Clarkson coaching under the challenges of the COVID -19 Pandemic. Borrows commented, "Coaching during a pandemic had many ups and downs, but through it all it has taught me the importance of not only playing, but living in the moment. Knowing at any time a practice, game, or even season could be cut short drove our worth ethic and style of play to perform as if it were our last chance on the field. We really strived to enjoy every opportunity to play and be together, treasure it, and make the most of it. As normalcy has regained, we carry this mindset forward and cherish our time on and off the field together in a different way than before."
A graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in May 2019, Ally finished with a degree in Biology. Her playing career with the Hawks saw her named a Division II All-American in 2019, Burrows was picked as a IWLCA Third-Team member after being named to the All-Atlantic Region First-Team for the second consecutive year. She also was chosen as a PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) First-Team All-Star for three straight years and was the 2016 PSAC Freshman of the Year. Burrows notched 219 goals and 47 assists for a total of 266 points in 69 career games, surpassing the 50-goal mark for three straight seasons. Over her career she also accumulated 66 groundballs and caused 17 turnovers. Burrows ended her career as the all-time leading goal scorer in IUP history with a total of 219.
In her three seasons with the Golden Knights, Ally has helped Clarkson to 16 wins, including a Liberty League playoff appearance in 2022. Burrows follows the most successful coach in Golden Knights Women's Lacrosse history, Ben Gaebel. Gaebel led the Knights to a .587% winning percentage, while making multiple Liberty League postseason appearances. 14 of the program's top-24 scorers played under Gabel, including all of the top-five point producers. 34 athletes achieved postseason honors in the Liberty League. Of the opportunity to work with Coach Gaebel, Burrows said "Ben has provided me endless support and guidance since the day I met him. During his time at Clarkson, he has helped build and transform the program immensely. He has been incredible in teaching on-field strategies such as X's and O's, systems, developing game plans, and in-game adjustments. But the most important lessons Ben has demonstrated to me and likely every individual he comes by is the importance of culture and off-field relationships to our student athletes. He has made it a point to prioritize his players and the overall team experience. Ben is truly a one-of-a-kind guy that I have been extremely fortunate to work with. He has done a phenomenal job preparing me for the next step in my coaching career and I will be forever indebted to him."
Burrows will return a roster of 23 players and add an incoming class of nine recruits. The team will start their 2023 season on February 28th, vs SUNY Oswego.