![President Todd Pfannestiel poses with Jeremy Thurston chairperson Board of Trustees [left] and former chairperson Robert Brvenik [right] after accepting the university's institutional charter.](https://uticatangerine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/unnamed.jpeg)
Kristin St. Hilaire was appointed interim director of athletics at Utica University effective Feb. 1, according to Utica University President Todd Pfannestiel. The announcement, made in a campus-wide email on Monday, Feb. 3, came on the heels of Dave Fontaine’s retirement after serving as athletic director for 12 years.
St. Hilarie previously served as assistant athletic director and is entering her 18th season as head coach of the women’s lacrosse team. She will continue to coach the women’s lacrosse team through the 2025 season before stepping down from that position. A search will begin soon after to identify a new head coach for the program.
“Please join me in wishing Kristin all the best in this important role at the institution, and thanking Dave for his many years of service,” Pfannestiel said in the email.
As the program’s all-time winningest coach with a 151-102 overall record, she led the team to a 14-4 record and its first Empire 8 Conference Championship final in 2024.
After spending two seasons as assistant coach at Ithaca College, St. Hilaire joined Utica University in 2007. Prior to that the Syracuse native played Division I lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts, where she earned Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team honors all four years and set several school records. She earned her Master’s Degree from Utica College in 2015.
