Emma Simmers was named associate head coach for the Colonials in August of 2023.
"I am so excited to welcome Emma Simmers to the RMU family," RMU head coach Courtney Grove said. "Having worked with Emma a number of years I know her talent as both a coach and a Pittsburgh standout player will be invaluable as she molds the Robert Morris defense. I look forward to watching her positively impact another team."
Simmers, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., joins RMU after spending the last five years as an assistant coach at Seton Hill. In her five seasons in Greensburg, Pa., Simmers helped guide the Griffins to an overall record of 56-25 (.691), including a mark of 41-6 (.872) in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). She helped pace Seton Hill to each of the last three PSAC West Division championships, compiling an overall mark of 42-13 (.764) and a 32-2 (.941) mark in conference action, from 2021 to 2023. The Griffins appeared in two of the last three finals of the PSAC Championship and also earned automatic bids to each of the last four NCAA Division II Tournaments (2019, 2021-23).
"I am very happy for the opportunity to continue my coaching career at RMU," Simmers said. "A massive thank you to Coach Grove and the RMU staff for trusting in my ability to help move the women's lacrosse program forward. I cannot wait to start working with the team and see what we can achieve together."
Under the direction of Simmers as the defensive coordinator and goalie coach, Seton Hill had numerous student-athletes receive PSAC postseason accolades as well as all-conference honors. In 2023, Makayla Kinter was named the PSAC West Defender of the Year for the second consecutive season as she earned the honor in 2022. She was also awarded IWLCA All-American status for the third straight season while being a PSAC West First Team selection in 2023. Along with Kinter, graduate student goalkeeper Kyleigh Hessian was chosen to the PSAC West First Team after ranking fourth in the conference in saves percentage (.471) and goals against average (9.84). Hessian also collected 164 total saves, which ranked sixth in the PSAC.
While at Seton Hill, Simmers worked as a youth and adult program assistant at the Greensburg YMCA. She provided instruction and coaching techniques for a variety of sports while also enforcing discipline on and off the playing field. Prior to her stint at Seton Hill, Simmers worked as the assistant lacrosse coach for Upper St. Clair high school.
Simmers is a 2015 graduate of Seton Hill, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Educational Studies with a concentration in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). She is no stranger to the Griffins lacrosse program as she was one of the most decorated student-athletes to play for Seton Hill. Simmers was a two-time IWLCA All-American as well as a two-time IWLCA First Team All-Region honoree during her junior and senior campaigns. She was awarded All-PSAC West First Team accolades twice while securing All-ECC honors as a sophomore.
