Rutgers has hired New Jersey native Melissa Lehman as its new women’s lacrosse coach

Lehman has been on staff at Penn as an assistant coach and associate head coach for the last 10 years. Lehman was a three-sport standout at Shore Regional High and was a First-Team All-State selection in lacrosse. She replaces Laura Brand Sias, who resigned after 17 seasons earlier this year.

“Melissa brings a record of experience and accomplishment that has positioned her to bring great success to our Scarlet Knight program,” Rutgers athletics director Pat Hobbs said in a release. “Her reputation for developing student-athletes, both academically and athletically, is well known. With the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center rising, women’s lacrosse will have a best-in-class facility to cultivate recruits and advance the program. Melissa has the vision and enthusiasm necessary to realize the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead for the Scarlet Knights. We are very excited to welcome her into the Rutgers Athletics family.”

Lehman was an All-America midfielder at Penn before she became an assistant at the Ivy League school under former national coach of the year Karin Corbett. Lehman played in a national final as a player and has helped the Quakers make 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances as a coach and player.

“I am beyond excited to join the Rutgers family as the women’s lacrosse head coach. I want to thank Pat Hobbs, (associate athletic director) Sarah Baumgartner, (sport adminstrator) Kate Hickey and the entire search committee for believing in me and sharing in my vision for leading this program into the future," Lehman said in a release.

"This is an exciting time for Rutgers Athletics, as the university continues to enhance the student-athlete experience with the new world-class facilities and holistic programming. I could feel the passion and support for this program as soon as I stepped on campus, and am eager to begin working alongside the talented coaches, administrators and staff across the department. On a personal level, I can’t wait to get back to my home state to start building this Big Ten program into a national competitor.

“I would also like to thank my mentor, Karin Corbett, for everything she has done for me in my time as both a player and coach at the University of Pennsylvania. Karin’s guidance and the support from the entire Penn community have prepared me for this next step in my coaching career. I am the coach I am today because of them and am forever grateful.”

James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.