Ashley Manion enters her fifth season as the head women’s lacrosse coach at Shippensburg University in 2016.
Through four seasons, Manion has instructed and developed nine All-PSAC award winners during her tenure. Following the 2014 season, defender Liz French became the first player in the 38-year history of the Shippensburg University lacrosse team to earn four consecutive All-PSAC First Team honors.
Manion also instructed four-time All-PSAC honoree Lindsey Kennedy in her final two collegiate seasons in 2012 and 2013, as the Raider finished her career as SU’s all-time leader in assists with 94 (15th-most in PSAC history) and tied for seventh on the all-time SU goals list with 112.
Several Raiders have achieved milestones or set new school records under Manion’s watch. Most recently, in 2015, sophomore Max Barkley shattered the school record for draw controls with 96 in 17 games; the old record was 61 set in 1999. Barkley ranked fifth in Division II for the category, while fellow sophomore Annemarie Cericola led the PSAC in groundballs per game (3.81).
Manion has instructed three players who have reached the 100-goal plateau in their SU careers: Lindsey Kennedy, Sheila Johnson (128) and Courtney Kennedy (102).
In her inaugural season in 2012, Manion guided Shippensburg to an 8-9 record – winning four times in PSAC play and sustaining three losses by just one or two goals.
Overall, Manion has instructed the Raiders to 24 victories, including 13 wins in conference play.
Manion was hired Oct. 12, 2011 after spending four seasons at Frostburg State University. She compiled 28 victories at the helm of Frostburg State – a Division III program located in Maryland. In four years, Frostburg State scored at least 174 goals in each of Manion’s seasons at the helm. Defensively, FSU forced 200 or more turnovers twice.
In a banner 2010 season, Manion guided the Bobcats to nine victories and their first ECAC Tournament appearance in nine years by leading the nation in caused turnovers and scoring 201 goals, the third highest single-season total in school history. The offensive and defensive balance produced just the seventh postseason appearance for Frostburg in its history.
In 2011, Manion instructed a team that made its transition into a new league – the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) – and qualified for the playoffs in their first season as a member. The Bobcats had two All-CAC players, including CAC Rookie of the Year Malory Brunett.
Before arriving at Frostburg State, Manion was an assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Binghamton University for three years from 2004-07. She was a recruiting coordinator, practice instructor and compliance officer for the Division I program during her tenure.
Manion is also active with camps and other instructional clinics. She was a co-director of the Southern Lehigh Lacrosse Camp in 2004 and 2005 where she directed skill sessions for high school athletes. Manion also conducted group skills sessions when she was an instructor in 2004 for the Nike Lacrosse Camp at Fairfield. She has been an instructor for the Gold Medal Lacrosse Camp and a counselor for the Lehigh Women’s Lacrosse Camp in addition to working as a volunteer coach for the Advantage Lacrosse Summer League.
As a collegiate athlete, Manion was a four-year starter at Division I Lehigh University. She played in 46 career games, served as team captain and helped the team post a record of 10-4 in 2003. Manion earned her bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in psychology from Lehigh in 2004.
In 2015, Manion earned a master’s degree from Shippensburg University in organizational development and leadership.
Manion is a native of Cabin John, Md. and a graduate of Walt Whitman High School. She lives in Gettysburg.
