Elizabeth Gainer joins the Duquesne lacrosse program in 2026 following four seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Tampa. She brings more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience to Duquesne, including three seasons as the head coach at Division I Manhattan College and additional head coaching stops at the University of Charleston, Eastern University and Holy Family University.
"We are thrilled to welcome Elizabeth to the Duquesne lacrosse program.
It's exciting to have a person with her extensive coaching experience, proven leadership skills and an elite level lacrosse mind joining the staff. Elizabeth's passion for the game and dedication to player development will be key as we work together to rebuild Dukes' lacrosse into a competitive A10 team.
Elizabeth and I have a shared commitment to enhancing the student-athlete experience by fully utilizing all the available resources Duquesne offers, along with creating a positive team culture that fully embraces the values of Duquesne University," said Coyne.
Gainer began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant at La Salle and Villanova before earning her first head coaching opportunity at Holy Family in 2011. In two seasons with the Tigers, she guided the program to a pair of Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference championships and 27 wins after taking over a team that had won seven games the previous season.
She then moved to Manhattan, leading the Jaspers from 2014-16. Gainer continued her head coaching career at the University of Charleston, guiding the second-year program from 2017-19, before spending three seasons at the helm of Eastern University.
Gainer joined Tampa for the 2023 campaign and spent four seasons on the Spartans' coaching staff. During her time in Florida, she also served as the director of girls lacrosse at True Lacrosse.
A native of Moorestown, New Jersey, Gainer played Division I lacrosse at Loyola University Maryland, where she lettered all four seasons for the Greyhounds. She appeared in 54 career games, recording 37 goals and eight assists.
Gainer earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a concentration in advertising and public relations from Loyola (Md.) in 2009. She later earned a master's degree in sports management from Neumann University.
