Bio

The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Department of Athletics is excited to announce the hiring of Sam Herman as its next head coach of the USJ women's lacrosse program, Associate Vice President of Athletics and Recreation Amanda Devitt announced Monday, July 14. Herman, who brings a wealth of experience from the Division I level, becomes the 10th head coach to lead the Blue Jays in program history. She will officially begin her coaching duties on Monday, August 18.

"Throughout the interview process, Sam stood out as a dynamic leader with a clear vision for building a strong and competitive women's lacrosse program," said Devitt. "Her commitment to mentoring student-athletes both on and off the field—especially in their academic and career pursuits—makes her an ideal fit for our community. We're thrilled to welcome Sam to the Blue Jay family and are excited for this next chapter in our women's lacrosse program."

Herman joins USJ after most recently spending the past three years as program director and head coach of the girls' lacrosse team at Indian Hill School in Cincinnati, Ohio. There, she oversaw all aspects of the girls' lacrosse program from middle school through high school, led staff development, and coached student-athletes across all levels. Under her leadership, the Braves won two regional championships, and three players were named US Lacrosse All-Americans. Additionally, Herman was named the 2025 Ohio High School Girls Lacrosse Coaches Association (OHSGLCA) All-Region Co-Coach of the Year and was twice recognized as the Cincinnati Enquirer Coach of the Year.

"I am honored to be named the head women's lacrosse coach at the University of Saint Joseph," said Herman. "I look forward to building a competitive and empowering program that values hard work, growth, and team culture. I'm excited to get started with this incredible group of student-athletes and help elevate USJ women's lacrosse to new heights."

In addition to her time at Indian Hill, Herman served as Ohio Girls Regional Director for True Lacrosse Club in Cincinnati, where she oversaw player recruitment, managed travel and logistics, hired coaches, and directed marketing, clinics, and practice planning.

Before her time at Indian Hill, Herman joined the staff at Xavier University as a volunteer assistant coach in August 2021. Xavier announced the addition of women's lacrosse that same summer, with the program's inaugural season taking place in spring 2023. During her time with the Musketeers, Herman helped lay the groundwork for the new program—planning and implementing film sessions, designing practice plans, and spearheading recruiting and player analysis efforts.

Herman began her coaching career at nearby University of Hartford, joining the then-Division I Hawks as an assistant coach in 2019. During her time with the Hawks, she served as lead recruiter, scouted opponents, and implemented offensive and defensive strategies. In her first season, despite COVID-19 limiting play to seven games, Hartford improved its draw control rate by 10 percentage points, winning 47.3% of draws.

As a student-athlete, Herman enjoyed a standout career at Division I High Point University from 2016-2019. She ranks second all-time in single-season (79) and career (228) draw controls, and fourth in career ground balls (133) and caused turnovers (92). She totaled 107 career points on 91 goals and 16 assists, leading the Panthers to three straight Big South Championships in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

A three-time All-Big South First Team selection, two-time Big South All-Tournament Team member, and 2018 Big South Tournament MVP, Herman was also named to the Big South All-Decade Team in 2020. She capped her career as a team captain her senior year and was selected to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Senior All-Star Game.

In addition to her collegiate playing experience, Herman also served as a coach with the Elite Lacrosse Club and as Camp Director at Top of the Bay Lacrosse in Bel Air, Md. She has also held similar roles at the Panther Lacrosse Club in High Point, N.C.
 
Herman graduated from High Point University in 2019 with a degree in exercise science.