Elizabeth Gainer returned to the Philadelphia area in 2019 to lead Eastern University Women's Lacrosse as the first full-time head coach in program history. Gainer will be the seventh head coach in the 29-year history of the program. She came to Eastern from the University of Charleston (W.V.) and had experience leading programs at both the Division I and II levels.
In her first season in St. Davids, Gainer had the Eagles off to a strong stat before COVID shortened the year. With several key losses because of the uncertainty of the year the short-handed Eagles had a tough run through the 2021 campaign.Â
Gainer grew up in Moorestown, N.J. and played Division I lacrosse at Loyola College. After stints as an assistant at LaSalle and Villanova, she took over the top job at Holy Family University. She inherited a squad that won seven games the year before and led the Tigers to a pair of CACC Championships and won 27 games in her two seasons.
From Holy Family, she moved to Manhattan College where she led the Division I Jaspers for three seasons. She moved to the University in Charleston to take over a second-year program.
Her return to Philadelphia is also a return to her roots. Her mother coached field hockey at Eastern between 1987 and 1993.
Â
