Bio

Maura Ellins will enter her fifth season as the Raiders' women's lacrosse head coach in 2025. She additionally serves as the department's Senior Woman Administrator, an NCAA representative whose designation is to promote meaningful representation of women in the leadership and management of college sports.

Ellins guided three student-athletes to postseason accolades based on a solid 2024 campaign in which Rivier secured its most wins since the 2014 campaign at 8-7 overall. Junior defender Cassie Hemmerdinger was selected as the program's first All-American, earning Third Team honors by USA Lacrosse. Hemmerdinger was selected to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Conference Second Team while her classmate Sarah Lachance made the Third Team. First year Sofia Cebrero earned a spot on the conference's All-Rookie Team.

Ellins joined the athletics department after a stellar coaching career at the high school level. She was the head coach of girls lacrosse at Windham High School, making appearances in the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) Division II State Championship Tournament in five consecutive seasons (2015-19). Ellins' squad captured the 2015 NHIAA State Championship and she was also named the 2015 Lawrence Eagle-Tribune Coach of the Year.

Ellins is no stranger to the southern New Hampshire area, as she graduated from Pinkerton Academy in Derry before moving on to Southern New Hampshire University. While at SNHU, she earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees and enjoyed a fine playing career on the NCAA Division II women's lacrosse team. While with the Penmen, Ellins and the squad went to four consecutive Northeast-10 Conference (NE10) postseason appearances. She was named to the NE10 All-Tournament team twice and was selected as the SNHU Female Sportsmanship Award recipient. In the classroom, Ellins was a member of the NE10 All-Academic Team.

At Pinkerton, Ellins was a three-year captain and established the school record with 229 goals in four seasons. She was named to the New Hampshire All-State team in all four years and was also a two-time high school All-American. Ellins was the catalyst on the Astros’ 2004 State Championship team and she also led the team back to the finals in 2005.