Sarah Burkarth Lawshe came to Montclair State University in the fall of 2021 after spending the prior four seasons as the head women’s lacrosse coach at Wilkes University. As an assistant coach at MSU, Sarah's main duties are recruiting and leading the team through their strength and conditioning. Sarah is a certified personal trainer and works as a fitness coach at multiple gyms in the surrounding towns.
Sarah serves the Director of Girls Lacrosse for Evolution Lacrosse Academy, based out of Montclair, NJ. As Director, Sarah oversees multiple youth club teams as well as training programs and camps.
While living in Pennsylvania, Sarah was previously the program director for a club lacrosse team in Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton area, the NEPA Rattlers. She started the girls program with that club in June 2020 and helped several athletes land spots on college rosters.
In the 2021 season at Wilkes University, Burkarth led the Colonels to two MAC Freedom victories, the first conference wins since 2016. In the 2019 season, Burkarth led Wilkes to six total wins, a three-win advancement over the previous season and the most since 2016. During that season, Burkarth coached one regional Player of the Month, in addition to four MAC Freedom Players of the Week. She also helped mentor a goalkeeper who broke the single-season save percentage record at 49.9 percent.
Burkarth came to Wilkes following a standout career as a defender and team captain at Division II Shippensburg University.
Prior to her collegiate career, Burkarth played lacrosse, field hockey and swam for Cumberland Valley High School, located in Mechanicsburg, Pa. She was named captain during her junior and senior years, and also was honored as a conference All-Star. Burkarth also played lacrosse at the club level for Lancaster Area X-treme. Burkarth graduated from Shippensburg in 2014 with a degree in Communication/Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations. She earned a master's degree from Wilkes in 2019 in the field of education, and holds a teaching certificate.
Sarah resides in Pompton Lakes, NJ with her husband Chris Lawshe who coaches boys lacrosse and football at Passiac County Technical Institute.
