ERIE, Pa. - Gannon head women's lacrosse coach Alicia Groveston has resigned to accept the head coaching position at Grand Valley State. The Lakers recently added women's lacrosse to their Athletic Department and are scheduled to play their inaugural season in 2012.

Groveston led the Gannon women's lacrosse team through one of the most successful seasons in school history last year. The Lady Knights concluded their first season in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) with a 12-4 overall record and 5-3 conference mark. The program has reached double digits in victories five consecutive seasons and has never recorded a losing season in its 14-year history.

“I have greatly enjoyed my time at Gannon,” said Groveston. “Working with the Gannon administration has been a wonderful experience. I am extremely proud of what the team and the young ladies have accomplished. I can't wait to watch them grow as lacrosse players and young women.”

Gannon was ranked eighth in the final Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Top 10 poll and narrowly missed PSAC and NCAA tournament berths after an overtime loss at Lock Haven in the regular-season finale. The Bald Eagles tied the match with 16 seconds left in regulation, before winning the contest in overtime.

Academically, Gannon posted the second-highest team grade-point average in the country. In addition, 10 Lady Knights were named PSAC Scholar-Athletes during their first season in the league. The team produced a combined 3.34 team GPA during the 2009 spring semester. It was part of an amazing semester in which all nine women's athletic teams at Gannon recorded a team GPA of 3.31 or better.

Gannon will immediately begin a national search for its next head women's lacrosse coach.