Harvard University

Entering her ninth season in 2027, Devon Wills, The Carole Kleinfelder Head Coach for Harvard Women’s Lacrosse, is just one win shy of her 50th career win as she looks to become just the third coach in program history to reach 50 career victories.
 
In 2026, Wills helped guide Charlotte Hodgson to become the first midfielder in program history to be named the Ivy League Midfielder of the Year.
 
With the Crimson consistently ranked in the top 25 all season long in 2025, Harvard opened the year with three wins in its first four games, defeating UAlbany at Jordan Field in the season opener before notching a pair of upsets against No. 15 Navy and No. 23 UConn in late February. Earlier that season, USA Lacrosse and head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein named Wills an assistant coach for the U.S. Women's Senior National Team, which will compete at the 2026 World Lacrosse Women's Championship in Japan.
 
Wills helped lead the Crimson to its third straight visit to the Ivy Tournament in 2024. Reaching as high as No. 20 in the national polls, Harvard had its first 10-win season since 2011 as the veterans of the 2024 team led the way. In early 2024, Wills was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in Baltimore, Maryland.
 
In 2023, the Crimson qualified for the Ivy League Tournament behind six All-Ivy honorees, including unanimous First Team All-Ivy selections in Callie Hem ’24 and Shea Jenkins ’23. Harvard posted back-to-back appearances in the league tournament for the first time since the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
 
Returning to competition for the 2022 season, the Crimson advanced to the Ivy League Tournament and tallied six All-Ivy selections, including three first team honorees. Harvard made its first appearance in the conference tournament since 2017.
 
In Wills’ first season with the program in 2019, Harvard totaled five All-Ivy selections, including First Team All-Ivy accolades for Keeley MacAfee ’19, who also gained IWLCA All-Northeast Region honors. The Crimson opened the 2020 season with a 3-3 mark before the remainder of the campaign was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Harvard’s 2021 season was also canceled due to COVID-19.
 
One of the sport's all-time greatest players and a former Ivy League standout, Wills joined the Crimson in August 2018. She was a three-time All-American goalie at Dartmouth, leading the NCAA in goals-against average and helped the Big Green advance to the NCAA championship game in 2006.
 
Wills arrived in Cambridge after a six-year coaching stint at the University of Southern California, serving as associate head coach over her final three seasons (2016-18) at USC, where she worked specifically with the Trojan defense and goaltenders. Wills previously served three seasons (2013-15) as an assistant coach, defensive coordinator, and recruiting coordinator for USC. Before her arrival, Wills was an assistant at Denver for two years (2010-11), a volunteer assistant in 2010 and a full-time assistant in 2011. Wills also served as an assistant for two years (2007-08) at her alma mater, Dartmouth.
 
In Wills' first season as associate head coach in 2016, the Trojans set new Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) records with 20 wins and an incredible 20-game winning streak. USC won both the MPSF's regular-season and tournament titles and then became the first-ever West Coast team to host an NCAA tournament game. USC's appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals and finish at No. 5 in the final IWLCA poll were also MPSF records. Wills' direction helped the program post the NCAA's top defense (5.80 GAA), which showcased the national leader in goals-against average – Gussie Johns (6.04 GAA).
 
Widely regarded as one of the world's elite goalies, Wills was a goalie for the U.S. national team from 2007-17. She helped the U.S. win the 2009 FIL World Cup and was named the Player of the Match in the team's 8-7 victory over Australia in the championship game. Wills returned as a member of the U.S. squad in 2013 and 2017 that claimed record seventh and eighth world championship titles.
 
On April 13, 2016, Wills was a part of history as the second overall pick in the first-ever United Women's Lacrosse League draft. She was chosen by the Long Island Sound franchise and led her team to the inaugural UWLX Championship. In her first season, she went 6-1, posted an 8.29 goals-against average, and was named a UWLX All-Star. She had eight saves in the championship game to help the Sound defeat the Boston Storm, 13-8, and was named the title game's Most Valuable Player.
 
While she was at Denver, the Pioneers went 13-5 overall in 2010 with a 6-0 record in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Denver advanced to the MPSF Tournament final and finished with the No. 20 national ranking. In 2011, the Pioneers were one of the top teams in the MPSF and advanced to the tournament semifinal.
 
As a player, Wills was a four-time (2003-06) All-Ivy League performer with three selections to the first team. She was also a three-time IWLCA All-America second-team honoree (2004-06). As a team captain in 2006, she led the NCAA in goals-against average and helped the Big Green advance to the NCAA championship game. In 2003, she was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year and earned All-Ivy League second-team accolades. She finished her career in second on Dartmouth's all-time saves list (538) and had a 7.14 career goals-against average. With Wills in the net, Dartmouth made appearances in the NCAA quarterfinals in 2003 and 2004, and advanced to the national semifinals in 2005.
 
A native of Denver, Wills is a two-time recipient of the Women's Lacrosse Award from the Sportswomen of Colorado (2006 and 2009).
 
Wills received a bachelor's degree in sociology from Dartmouth in 2006.