Vanessa Cox named new head coach of MIT women's lacrosse

Vanessa Cox, fresh off receiving NEWMAC Coach of the Year honors, has accepted the head coaching position for the MIT women's lacrosse team. Cox, who becomes just the second coach in program history, served as the interim head coach this past spring.
 
"I am thrilled about the opportunity to step up as head women's lacrosse coach at MIT," Cox said. "As a young team, we are in a place where we can move forward and build on the success and momentum gained from last season. This is a very exciting time for our program and also in my career. I look forward to taking on this challenge and bringing MIT lacrosse to a new level."
 
Cox replaces Cheryl Silva, who served as head coach of the Engineers for their first 16 seasons as a varsity program. During Silva's tenure, MIT student-athletes earned 26 All-Conference honors while the program was twice honored by the IWLCA for having the highest grade point average of any team in the country.
 
"Vanessa did an outstanding job this past spring as the interim head coach and I'm sure she will continue to be successful in the future," Silva said. "It has been an honor to be MIT's lacrosse coach for 17 years and see the program develop from the club level to a competitive varsity program in the NEWMAC."
 
Silva, who will assume additional responsibilities working with the Intramural Executive Committee, remains the head coach of MIT's field hockey program.
 
"Cheryl has dedicated so much of her expertise to both field hockey and lacrosse and it was fully complimented by the outstanding job Coach Cox did last year in an interim role," Director of Athletics Julie Soriero said. "These are changes that are exciting and positive for both varsity programs as well as the continued growth of our active intramural programs."