Rachel Vallarelli enters her first season as an Assistant Coach of the Villanova Women’s Lacrosse team in 2017, after serving as a volunteer coach for the 2015-2016 season.
Working with the goalkeepers last season, Vallarelli instructed both senior Jaclyn Fraum and sophomore Julia Michaels who combined for a .455 save percentage. Michaels returns for her junior season in 2017, as she ranked in the top-25 nationally in both save percentage and saves per game last season.
One of the nation’s top goalies during her career at UMASS, Vallarelli had a historic season in 2015, leading the Minutewomen to a 19-2 overall record as the nation’s No. 1 ranked goalie.
She was a three-year starter in goal, and left as one of the best goalies in both UMASS and NCAA history. The Hartsdale, N.Y. native accumulated the second most wins in school history (48) while leading the Minutewomen to four-straight Atlantic-10 championships. UMASS went undefeated in conference play during Vallarelli’s tenure, making four NCAA appearances with two first round wins.
After graduation, Vallarelli was presented the Minuteman Pride Award for her outstanding dedication to the program. She earned Atlantic 10 Defender of the Week seven times throughout her career, and left UMASS as the eighth best goalie in NCAA history with a goals against average of 6.77.
As a senior in 2015, Vallarelli was the backbone of a defense that was ranked for much of the year as No. 1 in the NCAA. Starting all 21 games in cage, she led the nation with a .523 save percentage and boasted a 5.77 goals against average, which ranked second in the nation. Vallarelli, the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, was named to the IWLCA All-Northeast Region Second Team and was a member of the A-10 All-Conference First Team as well as the A-10 All- Tournament Team. She was named an ECAC All Star and nominated for UMASS’ Athlete of the Year.
In 2014, she ranked second in the nation with a (6.26) GAA, was named to the A-10 All-Conference Second Team, and All Tournament Team. In 2012 Vallarelli was named to the A-10 All-Rookie Team.
Internationally, Vallarelli was a member of the United States Women’s Lacrosse U-19 Team in 2011 and was invited to try out for the US Senior Team in 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016.
Prior to Villanova, she spent the fall as a Volunteer Assistant Coach under Katie Rowan at Wagner College while pursuing her MBA in Management. She is currently a member of the New York Athletic Club’s Lacrosse Team, and the Director of Goalie Development for the Philly Blast Girl’s Lacrosse Club. Vallarelli is the Assistant Goalie Director at Amonte Sports AS3 and from 2012-2016 was the Goalie Director at Northstar Invitational in Lake Placid, New York.
Vallarelli graduated from UMASS-Amherst in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management
