COACHING STAFF

Assistant Coach | Samantha Giacolone

Giacolone will return to Conway, S.C., after spending the 2023 season with the Stanford Cardinal, where she worked with the goalies and was the defensive coordinator. During her time with the Cardinal, she coached PAC 12 Co-Goalkeeper of the Year (Kara Rahaim) and saw three defensive players garner All-PAC 12 first-team honors (Rahaim, Caroline Mondiello, and Ailish Kelly).

Giacolone came to CCU after two years as an assistant coach under head coach Rachel Shuck Whitten with the Furman women's lacrosse program.

Furman swept the SoCon awards in 2021 as Hannah Demis was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year, Avery Whitehead was tabbed the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, and Meagan Beal picked up SoCon Freshman of the Year honors.

In all, the Paladins placed nine on the All-SoCon teams in 2021, going 12-5 overall and 4-0 in league play to win the SoCon regular-season championship title. Furman advanced to the 2021 SoCon Tournament championship match before falling to Mercer in the title match 14-13.

Giacolone joined Furman’s staff after a stellar career at Notre Dame, where she graduated in May of 2019 with a degree in Psychology and minors in Business Economics and Education, Schooling and Society.

Giacolone was a four-year starter in goal at Notre Dame and finished her career as the Fighting Irish’s all-time saves leader (605) and all-time wins leader (47). Giacolone was 47-28 in goal for her career, played 4205:06 minutes, turned in a 9.52 goals against average, and a .476 save percentage, picked up 178 ground balls, and caused 30 turnovers.

She picked up plenty of accolades in her Notre Dame career, including earning IWLCA second-team All-America honors in 2019. Giacolone was a four-time ACC Academic Honor Roll honoree, a two-time All-ACC Academic Team member, a five-time ACC Defensive Player of the Week honoree, and was twice named the IWLCA National Player of the Week.

As a senior in 2019, Giacolone was also named to the Inside Lacrosse Midseason All-American second team, All-ACC first team, and IWLCA First Team All-Region, as well as being named one of the top-25 finalists for the Tewaaraton Award.

The Manorville N.Y., native, was a four-year member of Notre Dame’s Monogram club, as well as being a four-year volunteer for student welfare and development. She was a member of Rosenthal Academy, a coach for the Long Island Yellow Jackets Elite Lacrosse Club, and a director and coach of ESMSA Basketball camp.

Giacolone was also a member of the U-19 National Women’s Lacrosse team in 2014-15, representing the United States in Edinburg, Scotland.

Associate Coach | Hannah Demis

Demis began her collegiate playing career at Furman University during the fall of 2017 until her graduation in December 2021. In her time with the Paladins, Demis served as the team’s Co-Captain for two seasons, she was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and she was named to the SoCon All-Tournament Team in both 2019 and 2021.

In the 2021 season, she finished fourth in the NCAA in total assists and assists per game. She also holds the program record for most assists in a single game and is the all-time leader in career assists in Furman’s school history.

During her final semester in Greenville, Demis served as a volunteer assistant for the women’s lacrosse team in the fall of 2021. She also served as an intern with the health science program, helping to develop programming that provides mental and physical guidance for student-athletes developing identity outside of athletics and in their transition from collegiate competition.

Demis graduated from Furman University in December of 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences.

After four years with the Paladins, Demis transferred to Coastal Carolina University in January 2022. Prior to the start of the 2022 spring season, she was named to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team. 

Demis graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a master’s degree in sports management in May 2023.

Following her lone season with the Chants, and the fifth and final of her career, Demis was added by head coach Rachel Shuck Whitten to the Coastal Carolina women’s lacrosse coaching staff as a voluntary assistant coach. 

During the 2022-23 year, her responsibilities included assisting with both the offensive and defensive sides of the field, goalkeeper training, community outreach and team-related community service activities and practice planning. She also assisted in hosting special skills individuals, as well as youth camps and clinics.

Now, as a full-time assistant coach for the Chants, Demis will oversee the draw team and primarily work with the offense.