Leadership
JESS BOONE
Jess has coached college lacrosse for over a decade including serving as the head coach at Bucknell University (D1), Randolph-Macon College (D3) and assistant coach at Manhattan College (D1). She holds Levels 1 and 2 US Lacrosse Certifications. Jessica attended the University at Albany (NY) as a D1 player and held many scoring records including leading scorer and 2000 Player of the Year. She founded her own successful elite travel lacrosse program, Virginia Venom, for girls grades 3rd-11th in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Venom had numerous girls go on to play in college, many at the D1 level. She is a clinician to both youth and coaches and helped to develop the High Sierra Lacrosse Club in Nevada (Reno and Tahoe). She has developed and coached lacrosse players in New York as the head coach at Holy Child – taking that team to the highly competitive New York state private school semi finals (first time in program history). She was the Girls Athletic Director at Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg, Virginia for 4 years and started the now JV and Varsity Girls Lacrosse Program at the Upper School. Jess served as a consultant and in assisting in the development of the Chatham Cardinals Lacrosse Program, in Chatham County. She also served as facilitator For Brave Enterprises, founded by lacrosse legend Crista Samaras, working to design programming to motivate and empower female athletes.
DEVIN SCHMIDT (SHONTZ)
KRISTY BOYLES
Kristy Boyles began her lacrosse career at Skaneateles High School in Syracuse, NY. After receiving three varsity letters, first team all-region and defensive MVP awards and female athlete MVP across soccer and lacrosse, Kristy began her college career as a member of the DI varsity team at the University of Richmond. Kristy received an athletic scholarship from U of R and graduated in 2005 with academic honors and a BS in Biology and Business Administration. Kristy has coached at Charlotte Country Day since 2007, coaching MS in the ’07 and ’08 seasons before joining the varsity coaching staff in ’09 and becoming Head coach in 2012. Over the past eight seasons, CCDS has compiled a record of Over the past eight seasons…..record of 118-49, winning the NCISAA State title in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. In 2017 Kristy was honored by Country Day with the Carl Bolick Coaches Award honoring character, sportsmanship and service. Kristy additionally served as the NC chair for the US Lacrosse National Tournament from 2009-2017, serves on the Western NC USL Board and is the Girls Co-Director for the Nation United Lacrosse Program. Kristy has been coaching with the Stars since the Summer of 2007 and co-founded Little Sticks Lacrosse in 2015.
BRITTANY PASUT
Brittany Philip played High School lacrosse at Corning East in Upstate NY. From there she took her lacrosse career to Queens University of Charlotte (DII). While at Queens, Brittany was a captain her junior and senior year and earned lacrosse accolades including, but not limited to, Conference Carolinas Player of the Year in 2012, IWLCA All American Second Team and IWLCA All-Region First Team as well as representing Queens University of Charlotte as the NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee. Brittany – an attacker who also served on the draw circle – finished her career as the all time team leader in goals with 168, draw controls with 190, and set the single season record in goals with 56 her senior year.
Brittany, who started coaching with the Stars in the Fall of 2013 is the Youth and Middle School Director, overseeing athletes in K-8th grade, focusing on players during critical times of physical development. She spends time on the field with all levels for QCS but specifically focuses on our youth and middle school players, critically preparing them to transition from small field to full field play and subsequently, prepare them to play in high school.
Brittany graduated with a degree in Sports Communication and Marketing in May 2012. After a corporate stint in Olympic Sports Marketing through Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018, she shifted gears to teach Middle School Health and PE in Charlotte. She is the Program Director and Head Varsity Coach at Cannon School, and the Director of the South Park Youth Association Girls Lacrosse Program (501c3), in addition to her roles at QCS.
NIKKI WILLIAMS
Nikki Williams has been coaching and playing lacrosse for over 30 years. She began her playing career as a goalie in high school at The Hotchkiss School is Lakeville, CT. She attended St. Lawrence University, where she was a four year starter and led her team to 3 NCAA Tournaments bids. In her junior campaign, the team finished their undefeated regular season as the NCAA National Championship Runner up. That same season she was a 2nd Team All American and posted a single season goals against average of 5.01. Nikki finished her career at St. Lawrence with a record 585 saves and a goals against average of 5.69, and was inducted into the St. Lawrence Hall of Fame in 2002 as a member of the 1990 Women’s Lacrosse Team, and in 2011 as an individual.
Nikki graduated from St. Lawrence with degrees in Sociology & Creative Writing, and then returned to Hotchkiss, her Alma Mater, where she spent six years as a coach for their Lacrosse, Ice Hockey, and Soccer teams. Following her move to Atlanta, from 2004-2010, Nikki was the Director of Operations and Head Coach of the U15 and HS Elite teams, as well as a Coach Consultant for Dixie Chix Lacrosse Academy and Hotlanta Lacrosse Club. Nikki was named the US Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2009, and was the owner and director for Step out Sports, LLC and Thunderbird Lacrosse Club from 2010-2013. While in Atlanta and being heavily involved in both club lacrosse coaching and player development, Nikki was also the Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Agnes Scott College, a brand new program, from 2008-2012.
Nikki has been a member of multiple USL Chapter and Umpiring Boards, in addition to being a USL Rated Official, and has served as both the Vice President of the Women’s Division Georgia Lacrosse Foundation Regional Chapter, as well as the Executive Director of the Collegiate Women’s Lacrosse Officiating Association.
Nikki moved to Charlotte in 2012 as Owner & Director of AC Lacrosse Club, and most recently worked alongside Kristy Boyles as the Co-Director of Nation United Lacrosse Club. Currently she is the Head of Girls Lacrosse at Charlotte Latin as well as the Varsity Head Coach. Her program captured a State Championship in 2019, and they were runner ups in both 2017 & 2018.
LAUREN OCHS
Lauren Ochs joined QCS for the 2020-2021 season as a goalie coach. She is from Rochester, NY and played lacrosse for Irondequoit High School, graduating in 2013. Continuing her lacrosse career at Bentley University (MA), Lauren was the starting goalie her sophomore through senior year. During her tenure as a Falcon, Lauren accumulated awards including but not limited to 2x All-Conference selection, 2x All North Region selection, NE10 Goalie of the Week, NE10 Goalie of the Year, and IWLCA All American selection. Lauren succeeded in tying Bentley’s all-time win-streak record (11 games in a row) and is in the top 5 for Bentley Lacrosse Records in Saves, Save %, Goals Against Average, and Ground Balls.
Lauren graduated from Bentley in 2017 with a degree in Applied Mathematics and double minor in Computer Science and Business. Lauren has worked at Synchrony Bank as a Data Analyst since graduation.
Lauren first started coaching with QCS/Ultimate in the fall of 2020.
AMBER ZIMMERLINK
Amber was a 4 year starting defender at Iona college, graduating in 2012 with a degree in psychology. She then went on to become a graduate assistant/defensive coordinator at Lindenwood University (DII) where she helped lead the team to its first final 4. In 2014 Amber graduated from Lindenwood with a Masters in Education and became the head coach at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH. In 2015 Amber became the assistant coach at Davidson College where she coached for 3 years. After the 2017 season Amber made the decision to leave college coaching to pursue board certification in behavior analysis and has now returned to Davidson for the 2019 season as an assistant coach.