Kristen Skiera - Noto Family Head Women's Lacrosse Coach - Women's Lacrosse Coaches

Kristen Skiera

Title:
Noto Family Head Women's Lacrosse Coach
Email:
kristen.waagbo@westpoint.edu
Phone:
1826

Kristen Skiera, formerly Kristen Waagbo, enters her seventh season as the Noto Family Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Army West Point after being appointed to the position on June 13, 2014.

Skiera has elevated the women’s lacrosse program since her arrival at West Point and has guided the Black Knights to three consecutive winning seasons.

Along the way, Army has become one of the top Patriot League programs. Over the past three seasons, the Black Knights have ranked third in draw control percentage, sat inside the top-four in goals per game and ranked inside the top-five in goals against average. Skiera has also helped the Cadets turn in three consecutive seasons with a winning record at home, while posting a combined 17-5 mark at the historic Michie Stadium from 2018-20.

Since Army’s first season as a Division I program in 2016, Skiera has developed nine All-Patriot League performers (3 First Team, 6 Second Team) as well as the program’s first-ever Patriot League Rookie of the Year. She has additionally coached five 100-point and a pair of 100-goal scorers.

Despite a shortened 2020 campaign, the Cadets held a 7-0 mark to make them just one of eight teams in Division I to finish the year undefeated. The 7-0 start also tied the program record for the longest single-season winning streak, which was previously set during the 2019 campaign.

The 2020 squad got off to a stellar start and was one of the best all-around teams in the nation. Skiera had Army ranked first in the nation in draw control percentage (.677), tied for second in fewest goals allowed per game (7.29) and ranked 15th in scoring offense with 15.29 goals per contest. The Black Knights held six of their seven opponents to single-digit goals and ranked seventh in the nation in scoring margin after outscoring the opposition by 8.0 goals per outing.

The 2019 season was one to remember as Skiera lifted the program to new heights. She not only guided the team to a program-best 14-5 record, but also to a third-place finish in the Patriot League standings after playing to a program-best 6-3 mark in league play. Army competed in its first-ever league tournament and claimed a, 12-9, win in the quarterfinal round versus Lehigh at Michie Stadium. The successful season also included a seven-game winning streak to start the year, a program-high nine home wins and countless records broken.

Skiera coached a program-best five All-Patriot League players in Jackie Brattan, Caroline Raymond, Samantha Stewart, Maddie Burns and Manuela Cortes. Raymond was named the league’s rookie of the year, making her the first-ever major award winner from Army. The freshman was also tabbed the ECAC Rookie of the Year after setting a program record for single-season points and assists.

In the 2018 season Skiera coached the Black Knights to a five-game turnaround, marking the program's first-ever 10-win season. During that year, Army also set, at the time, program records in home wins (5) and Patriot League victories (4), with Amy Johnston and Stewart garnering all-league accolades. The Army defense was one of the best in the league under Skiera's watch, allowing the second-fewest goals (184).

During the 2017 campaign, Skiera led the program to its first Patriot League victory with an 11-9 road win at Colgate on April 19. Army also picked up its first postseason honors with the selection of Cortes and Kiersten Spencer to the All-Patriot League Second Team. Shelby Lindsay was named to the Academic All-Patriot League squad and garnered the prestigious IWLCA Coaches Association Community Awareness Award.

Skiera led the team during its inaugural season to a 5-12 mark. The first program win came against Central Connecticut State on Feb. 20. The team defeated the Blue Devils, LIU Brooklyn, UMass-Lowell, Presbyterian and Howard in its first NCAA season.

In 2015, Skiera oversaw the women’s lacrosse program’s final season at the club level, guiding the Black Knights to an 8-3 overall record and an appearance in the championship game of the New England Women’s Lacrosse League Tournament.
She transitioned the team to the varsity level as women’s lacrosse became the Academy’s 28th varsity sport beginning in the 2015-16 academic year. Army West Point made its debut at the NCAA Division I level as a member of the Patriot League in the 2016 season.

A former standout attacker at Duke, Skiera arrived at West Point after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater under head coach Kerstin Kimel. During her two seasons in Durham, N.C., Skiera helped lead the Blue Devils to back-to-back NCAA Tournament quarterfinal appearances, along with producing four Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Americans.

As an assistant at Duke, Skiera served in an offensive coordinator position where she was tasked with tracking player development and creating and implementing offensive strategy. She also handled recruiting responsibilities, helping in areas of talent evaluation and in the academic fit of student-athletes.

Before returning to Duke, Skiera served as an assistant coach at Navy for two seasons, where she worked primarily with the Midshipmen offense. While in Annapolis, Md., Skiera helped Navy to a combined 33-9 record, back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and Patriot League Championships in 2011 and 2012. Under Skiera’s direction, the Midshipmen netted 275 goals during the 2011 campaign before setting a Patriot League standard with 306 goals in 2012.

Skiera spent the 2010 season as an assistant coach with UC Davis’ women’s lacrosse program and helped dramatically increase the Aggies’ offensive production. Skiera instructed a UC Davis offense that achieved 14.06 goals per contest in 2010 after netting 10.06 goals per game in 2009.

Prior to her time at UC Davis, Skiera worked two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Navy, aiding the Midshipmen in their transition from the club level to Division I for the 2008 campaign.

In 2008, Skiera served as the co-head coach of the Dutch national women’s lacrosse team, leading the squad in the 2008 European Lacrosse Championships in Lahti, Finland.

Skiera completed an impressive four-year playing career at Duke in 2007, twice earning All-America honors. She graduated as the school’s career leader in assists (116) and ranked second with 277 points. Additionally, Skiera is tied for fourth on the Blue Devils’ career goal scoring list with 161 markers.

During her senior campaign, Skiera tallied a Duke-record 44 assists to go along with a career-high 90 points in 20 appearances. She earned three All-America citations following the season and was a semifinalist for the Tewaaraton Award.

In 2006, Skiera notched a team-leading 32 assists and finished second on the squad with 46 goals, drawing Inside Lacrosse All-America third team recognition and being named a Tewaaraton Award nominee. During her four seasons at Duke, Skiera led the Blue Devils to three NCAA Tournament Final Four appearances, four consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference regular season titles and one ACC Tournament championship.

Skiera earned her bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology with a concentration in markets and management studies from Duke in 2007.

In January of 2018, Skiera was inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse Greater Baltimore Chapter Hall of Fame. She began her stellar career at Mt. Hebron High School where she led the team to four consecutive state titles. She was named Baltimore Sun Female Athlete of the Year, twice (2002 & 2003) and was the All-Metro Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year as a senior in 2003.

A native of Ellicott City, Md., Skiera resides at West Point with her husband Kyle. The two were married in the summer of 2016.