With season approaching, Bulldogs women’s lacrosse coach steps down

Fresno State women’s lacrosse coach Jessica Giglio, who was cleared of wrongdoing in an independent investigation into the Bulldogs program last February, stepped down on Wednesday five weeks before the start of the 2020 season.

“I am proud of the progress that this Fresno State women’s lacrosse program has made, from earning its first win in my first season to developing into a competitive team with some great wins these past few years,” Giglio said in a news release from the athletics department.

“I have enjoyed the challenge of growing the sport on the West Coast, a non-traditional area for lacrosse. And now I am looking forward to focusing my energy on starting our family and the next chapter in our lives. I wish the program continued success.”

Giglio coached the fledgling program for eight seasons, compiling a 41-80 record. Fresno State had a winning record just once, going 9-7 in 2017. Giglio coached 21 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation all-conference selections, including two rookies of the year recipients, and her program posted Academic Progress Rate scores of 990 or higher seven times.

Kara Concheck, a former Fresno State player, will serve as interim coach. Concheck was the head coach at St. Francis the past four seasons before returning to Fresno State in the fall as an assistant coach.

The Bulldogs open the season Feb. 15 at Furman.