Tricia Lawler was named head coach of the Lynx prior to the 2011 season after helping lead the team to the NCAA Tournament and an NECC Championship as an assistant coach in 2010.

Lawler, a two-year captain for the Western Connecticut State University women’s volleyball team, comes to Lesley with several years of coaching experience at the high school and club levels throughout Massachusetts. At Methuen and Brookfield High Schools, she was a varsity assistant coach and head coach for the junior varsity squad.  She has also worked at the Nike Volleyball Camp in Fairfield, CT.

While at Western Connecticut State, Lawler earned Little East Conference Rookie of the Year honors, Second Team All-Conference and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the SUNY Cortland State Tournament.

For her junior and senior seasons, Lawler captained the WestConn women’s volleyball squad, leading the team with 48 service aces and 113 blocks as a senior. Over her final three seasons, she helped lead the Colonials to a 19-2 record in Little East Conference play.

Prior to her collegiate playing experience, Lawler played at Belmont High School in Belmont, New Hampshire, where she was named to the All-State Team in her senior year and was a two-year captain.  She also played in the Lakes Region Juniors, where her team was the New England Regional Champions in 1999.

Jessica Niebuhr joined the Lynx staff as an assistant coach for the start of the 2011 season.

A four-year starter and captain of the Colby-Sawyer College women’s volleyball team, Niebuhr comes to Lesley with several years of club and collegiate coaching experience. 

While at Colby-Sawyer, Niebuhr helped lead the Chargers to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances.  She broke the Colby-Sawyer assists record her junior year with 1,185 en route to leading her team to a 30-9 record, 9-0 record in Commonwealth Coast Conference play, a TCCC Championship and to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Niebuhr graduated in 2007 as the Chargers all-time assists leader and also finished third in Colby-Sawyer history in digs and fourth in service aces.

Prior to her collegiate playing experience, Niebuhr played at Manitou Springs High School in Manitou Springs, Colorado. She also played for Match Point Volleyball club.