Ultimate lacrosse Carolina
RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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Tryout Registration is Open
"Welcome" from The Carolina Director
Kaitlyn Arcari
(Full Time)
703.887.0323
- 8+ years of coaching experience at all levels, youth through high school
- Former player at Virginia Tech (NCAA DI)
- ACC Honor Roll 2021, Virginia Tech
- Represented USA Youth National Team in Surrey, England, World Cup, 2017
- Former Varsity Assistant Coach for The Connelly School of the Holy Child, 2024
KAITLYN ARCARI
Regional Director, ULTIMATE CAR
Kaitlyn Arcari is the Regional Director for Ultimate Lacrosse in Carolina, bringing over eight years of coaching experience at the youth, club, and high school levels. She joined the Ultimate Lacrosse staff in September 2024 and is passionate about developing athletes and expanding the game, using her experience as both a high-level player and coach to mentor the next generation.
A former NCAA Division I player at Virginia Tech, Kaitlyn was recognized on the ACC Honor Roll in 2021 for her academic and athletic achievements. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications with minors in Organizational Leadership and Business, equipping her with strong leadership and team-building skills both on and off the field. She enjoyed her time at Virginia Tech, where she developed as both a player and leader while competing at the highest collegiate level.
Originally from McLean, Virginia, Kaitlyn attended Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, VA, where she was a standout player before competing for Capital Lacrosse Club. Her playing career also includes representing Team USA at the 2017 World Cup in Surrey, England as a member of the USA Youth National Team.
In 2018 - 2024, Kaitlyn has coached for Pride Lacrosse Club in Loudoun County, Virginia, further expanding her impact on youth development in the sport. She also leads summer camps dedicated to growing the game and inspiring young athletes to develop a lifelong love for lacrosse.
Kaitlyn is also a Director for the NCRLA Rec Program in the triangle area, a newly launched nonprofit initiative aimed at growing the game and making lacrosse more accessible to athletes of all backgrounds.
Her mission is to give back to her community and help grow the game of lacrosse by mentoring and empowering young athletes. Her passion, experience, and dedication make her a valuable leader in the lacrosse community.
Carolina Directors
Katy O'Mara
(Full-Time)
- 23 years coaching and recruiting experience, youth through college
- Owner and operator of Carolina Fever lacrosse club from 2005 - 2022
- Helped over 140+ Carolina Fever alums get recruited to play in college
- 3 year coach and Defensive Coordinator at UNC
- 4 year starter and captain at Dartmouth College (NCAA DI)
- 2x All-Ivy; 1x Regional All-American
KATY O’MARA
Senior, Director of College Recruiting, SOUTH (CLT, CAR) + MN
A 2002 graduate of Dartmouth College, Katy has spent over 20 years coaching at all levels, including most recently as the owner of Carolina Fever. Katy helped to start the club in 2005 under the direction of UNC Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Jenny Levy, while working as an assistant overseeing the defense on Coach Levy's staff at Carolina. In 2012, Katy acquired the club and steered its growth to become the premier program in North Carolina, consistently competing with top teams in the country.
A key feature of Carolina Fever was the recruiting and player development program. In 16 years, more than 140 players went on to play lacrosse in college at all levels - notably including such prolific collegiate teams such as UNC, Boston College, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Colorado, Duke, and Penn among many others. Coach O'Mara built a recruiting system that prioritized preparation - both player development and family awareness, communication, and finding the right fit. She understands the need to find schools that meet a player and family's needs in order for girls to thrive following their commitment. With the current NCAA landscape constantly changing - including NIL, roster caps, and more, Katy's deep connections among college coaches ensure she is well positioned to educate families as a guide through the recruitment process. Her greatest joy is watching her players move on to enjoy continued success - both on and off the field, at the next level.
As a coach, Katy has worked at the high school and collegiate levels. She started her coaching career as the head coach at Morristown Beard School in Morristown, New Jersey followed by an assistant position at National Cathedral School in Washington, DC. She moved to Chapel Hill thereafter to coach at UNC and had the pleasure of mentoring four US Team players and three multi-year All-Americans as the defensive coordinator for the Tar Heels. After earning her MBA at UNC and starting a family, Katy came back to scholastic coaching in 2015 when she started the varsity program at Cary Academy in Cary, North Carolina.
As a player, Katy started all four years on the defensive end for the Big Green and served as captain her senior year. She earned All-Ivy and All-American honors during her time in Hanover.
Joslin Hanbury
(Full-Time)
- 5 years experience coaching at all levels, youth through high school
- 6 year player at Campbell University (NCAA DI)
- 2024 Season Points Leader
- CAA Offensive Player of the Week
- Program Record Holder 8 meter goals
- 3x IWLCA Academic Honor Roll
Assistant Director, ULTIMATE
Joslin is an Assistant Director of ULTIMATE Lacrosse, joining the team in November of 2024. She comes to the program with 5 years of club coaching experience as well as experience in planning and coaching DI camps. As an Assistant Director, Joslin helps plan, coordinate, and execute day-to-day needs of the club as well as special projects and media marketing. She also serves as the CLT 2029 team.
Joslin has played at the NCAA DI level at Campbell University, where she earned recognition for academic and athletic successes. She earned CAA Offensive Player of the Week and the 2024 Season Points Leader, tallying over 100 points and 100 goals over her career. She is the current 8-meter goal record holder for the program and is among the top 10 in goals per game, career points, assists per game, shots on goal per game, and shots per game. She graduated with her Master’s in Business Administration Summa cum laude while gaining IWLCA Academic Honor Roll 3 years in a row.
Joslin is passionate about growing the sport of lacrosse as well as increasing exposure for our athletes.
Katie McMahon-Gates
(Full-Time)
- 20 years of coaching experience coaching lacrosse at all levels, 2 years at the NCAA DIII level
- 5 year player at the University of CA Davis (DI)
- 3x All American, 3x Team Captain
- Hall of Fame Inductee 2021
- 10 years experience as a travel girls lacrosse owner and operator
KATIE MCMAHON-GATES
Regional Director, ULTIMATE CLT
Executive Director, ULTIMATE
Katie is the Regional Director of Charlotte and the Executive Director of ULTIMATE Lacrosse. Since she joined in 2022, the club has seen a surge in new players, stronger retention, and the launch of new locations including Lehigh Valley and Minnesota. She has made it her mission to invest in an all women leadership team and build out programming and services to better support the development of players. Under her leadership the club has hired two full-time Directors of Recruiting, four additional full-time staff, invested heavily in social media to elevate the exposure of players, and created a player pathway to support the development of players starting at recreational lacrosse through ELITE teams.
Katie has over 20 years of lacrosse coaching experience and is also the Executive Director Go2Sports, a travel sports partner organization. She has coached teams at the youth, high school, and college level. She was previously the Head Varsity Coach at Georgetown Visitation from 2017 - 2021 and was named All-Met Coach of the Year 2018. While at Visitation, Katie led the program to their highest national ranking in school history (#1, 2021) and the team was consistently ranked in the Top 10 during her tenure. Prior to coaching Katie was a 3x All-American at UC Davis, holding the records for goals, assists, points, and caused turnovers. She was inducted into the UC Davis Hall of Fame in 2021.
Her mission is to grow the game of lacrosse by creating a fun and enthusiastic learning environment while teaching young girls to be confident and strong leaders.
Lexi Willets
(Part-Time)
- 7 years of coaching experience at all levels, youth through high school
- 4 year player at University of Charlotte (NCAA DII)
- 3x South Atlantic Conference Championships
- 2x NCAA DII Final Four appearances
- Participated in the National Championship Game in 2021
LEXI WILLETS
Assistant Director, ULTIMATE NC
Lexi Willets is a dedicated coach with seven years of experience at the club and high school levels. After being recruited to play lacrosse at Queens University of Charlotte in 2017, Lexi quickly developed a deep appreciation for the growing lacrosse community in Charlotte. Over the past eight years, she has been committed to helping the sport thrive in the area, enjoying the progress it’s made and working to further its development.
Currently, Lexi serves as the Assistant Director for ULTIMATE Lacrosse NC, a role she’s held since January 2022. From 2018 to 2021, she worked with Queen City Stars, where she coached and managed academy programming for youth athletes. Additionally, she was the Program Director for South Park Youth Organization from 2022 to 2024 and currently coaches at Cannon High School, beginning in 2023. Lexi has been able to guide athletes through the recruitment process, helping several players, including the 2026 class, secure opportunities at Division 1 and Division 2 schools such as Clemson, ESU, and UMASS.
As a player, Lexi was part of the Queens University of Charlotte lacrosse team, where she had the privilege of serving as team captain. Her leadership helped the team secure three South Atlantic Conference Championships, two NCAA D2 Final Four appearances, and a trip to the National Championship game in 2021, along with a Regional Championship.
In addition to her coaching work, Lexi holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education with a focus on Curriculum and Instruction from Queens University. She currently teaches 5th grade in the Fort Mill School District, where she enjoys working with young students and fostering their growth both in and outside of the classroom.
Lexi remains deeply passionate about growing the game of lacrosse and supporting young athletes in reaching their full potential. Her experience as both a player and coach, combined with her commitment to the Charlotte community, makes her a valued leader in the sport.
Season Schedule Overview by Team Level
Recreational Lacrosse
SPRING
Players in CLT and CAR will play with the NCRLA. Players in other regional locations should play with a local recreational program.
Mini Club
Foundational & Fun, Shortened Travel Club Schedule. Please check your specific Regional Location for program availability.
GENERAL SCHEDULE OUTLINE
FALL
Sept - Oct | 8x Practices minimum on the weekend, 6x 4SQUARE Training Sessions during the week
Oct - Nov | 2 Tournaments on the weekend
WINTER
Jan - Feb| 6x 4SQUARE Trainings Sessions during the week
SPRING
All Youth Athletes are encouraged to participate in their local recreation programs. Players in CLT and CAR will play with the NCRLA.
SUMMER
May - Jun | 6x Practices Minimum during the week
June | 2 Tournaments on the weekend
Select Teams
The only difference between our Select and Premier Middle and High School teams is that they will participate in one less summer tournament.
GENERAL SCHEDULE OUTLINE
FALL
Sept - Oct | 8x Practices Minimum on the weekend, 8x 4SQUARE Training Sessions during the week
Oct - Nov | 3 Tournaments on the weekend
WINTER
Jan - Feb | 6x 4SQUARE Trainings Sessions during the week
SPRING
All High School athletes will play with their school teams.
All Youth Athletes are encouraged to participate in their local recreation programs. Players in CLT and CAR will play with the NCRLA.
SUMMER
May - Jun | 8x Practices Minimum during the week
June | 3 Tournaments on the weekend
*Our Middle School and High School Select teams will play in 3 Summer tournaments. We aim to have these teams done as close to the time school lets out so our players and families can enjoy a full summer of vacation and or rest.
Premier Teams
GENERAL SCHEDULE OUTLINE
FALL
Sept - Oct | 8x Practices Minimum on the weekend, 8x 4SQUARE Training Sessions
Oct - Nov | 3 Tournaments on the weekend
WINTER
Jan - Feb | 6x 4SQUARE Trainings Sessions during the week
SPRING
All High School athletes will play with their school teams.
All Youth Athletes are encouraged to participate in their local recreation programs. Players in CLT and CAR will play with the NCRLA.
Some teams may have the opportunity to participate in their local NGLL Region.
SUMMER
May - June | 10x Practices Minimum during the week
Jun - July | 4 Tournaments on the weekend
*Elementary grade teams will participate in 3 tournaments. All Youth Premier teams will be done by the last weekend of June. High School Teams will participate in a July tournament only.
Elite Teams
Elite Schedule
ELITE team schedules are in addition to Regional schedules. Tryouts are held in June. Please visit www.go2sports.co for more information.
Registration & more Info
Goalie Coaching
Sam Horan, Goalie Coach
- 7 years of coaching experience at all levels, youth through high school
- 5 year player at San Diego State (DI)
- 2x Team Captain
- Currently at PT school at Duke
- 10 years of coaching experience at all levels, youth through high school
- 4 year starter at Trinity College (DIII)
- Team Captain
- Second Team ALl NESCAC 2021
