Florida Gators

Taryn VanThof wrapped up her sixth season as an assistant coach at the University of Florida at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign and will continue to run the Gators’ offense, as well as lead the draw specialists and goalies.  

A three-time IWLCA All-American midfielder at Loyola University Maryland and a US Lacrosse National Team member, VanThof joined the Florida coaching staff following one season as an assistant coach at Rutgers.

During the 2022 campaign, the Gators went 17-5 overall. Florida claimed both the American Athletic Conference regular season championship and the tournament championship, while finishing 5-0 in the league for the team’s seven undefeated conference season. The AAC regular season championship was Florida’s 11th-straight, while the tournament championship was the team’s eighth-straight and ninth overall. The team made its 11th-consecutive NCAA Tournament, earning hosting rights in the first and second round after notching the seventh-overall seed. For the second-straight season, Florida made the NCAA Quarterfinal, its seventh in program history. Under VanThof’s tutelage, the Gators finished the season ranked in the Top-12 nationally in the following categories: turnovers per game (5th, 11.50), assists per game (9th, 7.45), scoring defense (10th, 9.45), free position percentage (11th, .508), shot percentage (11th, .479) and points per game (22.82). VanThof – who also works with the goalies – tutored Sarah Reznick as she finished 10th in the nation in goals against average (9.48) and 15th in save percentage (.480). Two Gators earned IWLCA All-America status (Danielle Pavinelli – Second Team; Emma LoPinto – Third Team), while Pavinelli (Third Team), alongside LoPinto, Emily Heller and Emma Wightman garnered ILWomen Honorable Mention All-America accolades. Florida racked up six IWLCA All-Region honors, including three First Team spots in Heller, LoPinto and Pavinelli. UF’s Second Team honorees consisted of Catherine Flaherty, Sarah Reznick and Wightman. The Gators also racked up as astounding nine All-Conference selections, including six First Teamers, while also winning five out of six of the major awards: Danielle Pavinelli (Attacker of the Year), Emma Wightman (Defender of the Year), Sarah Reznick (Goalkeeper of the Year), Emma LoPinto (Freshman of the Year) and VanThof, along with O’Leary and Thorpe were named Coaching Staff of the Year. Three Gators were named to the Tewaaraton Watch List – LoPinto, Pavinelli and Reznick – and Pavinelli earned a spot as a Top-25 nominee.

In the 2021 season, the Gators went 18-3 overall – just one win off the program record. Florida claimed both the American Athletic Conference regular season championship and the tournament championship while finishing 10-0 in the league for the team’s eighth undefeated conference season. The AAC regular season championship was Florida’s 10th-straight, while the tournament championship was the team’s seventh-straight and eighth overall. The team made its 10th-consecutive NCAA Tournament, earning hosting rights in the first and second round after notching the sixth-overall seed. Florida made its sixth NCAA Quarterfinal and first since the 2018 season. Under VanThof’s tutelage, the Gators finished the season ranked in the Top-10 nationally in the following categories: scoring margin (1st, 9.90), scoring defense (2nd, 7.00), saves percentage (3rd, .529), scoring offense (3rd, 16.90), shot percentage (3rd, .509), fewest turnovers per game (3rd, 11.29), points per game (5th, 24.76), free position percentage (5th, .550), clearing percentage (7th, .919) and assists per game (9th, 7.86). VanThof – who also works with the goalies – tutored Sarah Reznick as she led the nation in both save percentage and goals against average to close out the season. She recorded 16 saves against then-No. 1 North Carolina on Feb. 11 - tying the program record for most saves in a game. VanThof also tutored three-time IWLCA All-American Shannon Kavanagh, who broke the program record for career draws (303) on April 18 against Vanderbilt. Kavanagh followed that performance with a 16-draw showing against Mercer on May 14, setting both a career-high and new program record for most draws in a single game. Four Gators earned IWLCA All-America status (Shannon Kavanagh – First Team; Sarah Reznick and Cara Trombetta – Second Team; Grace Haus – Third Team), while all four and Kaitlyn Dabkowski were named IWLCA All-Region honorees. The Gators racked up an astounding 10 All-Conference selections, including six First Teamers, while also sweeping the major awards: Grace Haus (AAC Attacker of the Year), Shannon Kavanagh (Midfielder of the Year), Cara Trombetta (Defender of the Year), Sarah Reznick (Goalkeeper of the Year), Danielle Pavinelli (Freshman of the Year) and VanThof, along with O’Leary and Hadnagy were named Coaching Staff of the Year. Three Gators were named to the Tewaaraton Watch List – Kavanagh, Reznick, Trombetta – and both Kavanagh and Trombetta earned a spot as Top-25 Nominees.
 
In the shortened 2020 season, the Gators went 6-2 overall. Those six wins included four victories against Top-25 opponents (No. 1 Maryland, No. 3 Stony Brook, No. 18 Colorado and No. 19 Navy). The Gators defeated No. 1 Maryland for the first time in program history on Feb. 15, snapping the Terps 86-game home win streak – dating back to 2012. It was also the first win for Florida over the top-ranked team since May 5, 2012 (Northwestern, 14-7). Under VanThof’s tutelage, Shannon Kavanagh had a stellar eight games and earned numerous accolades in the process: Tewaaraton Watch List, US Lacrosse National Player of the Week, IWLCA National Player of the Week and four AAC Midfielder of the Week honors. VanThof helped lead a squad that ranked first in the conference and 19th in the nation in draw controls per game (15.50). The Gators ranked third in the nation in clearing percentage (.922) and ninth in turnovers per game, only turning the ball over 12.38 times per game.

In the 2019 season, the Gators went 14-7 overall and 5-0 in the American Athletic Conference’s inaugural season. For the ninth-straight year, Florida hoisted a regular-season conference championship trophy after topping Cincinnati 25-6. Just one week later, the Gators earned another championship trophy, winning the AAC Tournament Championship after defeating Cincinnati 15-9 – the sixth-straight year UF has achieved conference tournament championship status. VanThof helped lead a squad that ranked first in the conference and 20th in the nation in draw controls per game (15.14). The Gators ranked seventh in the nation in groundballs per game (21.62) and also sat third in the nation in clearing percentage (.923). Under VanThof’s tutelage, Shannon Kavanagh had a breakout sophomore season, earning numerous accolades. The sophomore ranked in the Top-12 in the conference in 12 different categories during the 2019 season, including ranking second in goals (69). Four Gators earned IWLCA All-American status (Lindsey Ronbeck, Shannon Kavanagh, Sydney Pirreca and Cara Trombetta). Florida also took home seven All-Conference selections and four major AAC awards: Lindsey Ronbeck (Attacker of the Year), Shannon Kavanagh (Midfielder of the Year), Cara Trombetta (Defender of the Year) and Haley Hicklen (Goalkeeper of the Year).

In 2018, the Gators went 17-4 en route to their first NCAA Quarterfinal since the 2014 season and won their fourth consecutive BIG EAST Tournament title. Florida also picked up its fourth-straight BIG EAST regular season championship after going 9-0 in conference play. The team set a program record for most goals scored with 343 and most caused turnovers (188). 2018 marked Florida’s sixth season with at least 17 wins in the nine-year history of the program. The Gators were the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they defeated No. 15 Colorado in the Second Round to advance to the first NCAA Quarterfinal since 2014. Florida traveled to No. 5 JMU and put up a tough fight before falling 11-8 to the Dukes. Seven Florida players were named IWLCA All-Region, the most in program history and four earned All-American honors (Haley Hicklen, Sydney Pirreca, Lindsey Ronbeck and Cara Trombetta). Three Gators won BIG EAST Awards: Shannon Kavanagh (Freshman of the Year), Sydney Pirreca (Midfielder of the Year), Haley Hicklen (Goalkeeper of the Year) and the staff was honored with the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.   

VanThof made an immediate impact at Florida during the 2017 season, as the Gators posted a 17-3 record and claimed the program’s third consecutive BIG EAST championship. Her effect on UF’s midfielders, namely IWLCA First Team All-American Mollie Stevens, was easily distinguishable. Stevens set the UF single season record for draw controls, winning 106 in 20 games. The Florida offense also had a banner year, scoring 16.8 goals per game and racking up 488 total points, both program records.
 
In Rutgers’ third season in the Big Ten Conference, VanThof helped guide the Scarlet Knights to a second straight conference tournament semifinal game and the program’s first conference tourney win since 1998. Rutgers notched two ranked wins last season – both against Ohio State –  with VanThof on staff.
 
VanThof, who was a part of history when she was drafted to the Long Island Sound (UWLX), helped pave the way as the Sound captured the inaugural UWLC Championship Trophy at the end of July. Just a week later, VanThof was named to the 36 member US Lacrosse National Team leading into the World Cup next summer in England.

A decorated NCAA athlete with the Greyhounds, VanThof earned IWLCA Third Team All-America honors from 2013-15. The midfield standout racked up 160 points -- 108 goals and 52 assists -- in her career, also accumulating 127 ground balls and a staggering 318 draw controls. VanThof owns the single-season (122) and career (318) Loyola University Maryland draw control records.
 
A three-time all-conference selection (BIG EAST ’13, Patriot League ’14, ’15), VanThof helped Loyola to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2015, and in her final season, VanThof tallied a career-best 53 points (30g, 23a), including two game-winning goals. The Greyhounds advanced to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament in all four years of VanThof’s playing career, also making a quarterfinal run during her redshirt season in 2012.

Along with her success on the field, VanThof dedicated her time on the coaching front throughout her playing career. While with the Greyhounds, the Livonia, N.Y., native spent time as a coach and player coach with Seven Lacrosse Training (Baltimore, Md.), C2 Lacrosse (Baltimore, Md.), Lady Roc Lacrosse Inc. (East Rochester, N.Y.), and Maximum Exposure Lacrosse Company.

VanThof was selected by the Greyhounds’ coaching staff to represent the program on the Jeff Jansen Leadership Academy, where she honed her leadership skills with a variety of training sessions and activities. She graduated from Loyola University Maryland in 2015 with a bachelor’s in business administration, earning a double specialization in management and marketing.
 
TARYN VANTHOF FILE
College Coaching Experience:
2017-Pres: University of Florida, Assistant Coach
2015-16: Rutgers University, Assistant Coach
 
Playing Experience:
2021-Pres.: Athletes Unlimited 
2017-2020: New England Command (Women’s Professional Lacrosse League)
2016-17: Long Island Sound (United Women’s Lacrosse League)
2014-15, 2016-17: US Lacrosse Women’s National Team
2011-15: Loyola University Maryland Lacrosse
 
Education:
Loyola University Maryland: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, 2015