LIVONIA, Mich. – Madonna University Director of Athletics Noel Emenhiser has announced the hiring of Alexa Matta as the next head coach of the Crusaders women's lacrosse program.

Matta brings six years of collegiate head coaching experience to Madonna after leading programs at both the NAIA and NCAA Division I levels. Throughout her coaching career, she has established herself as a proven recruiter, program builder, and leader, guiding teams to conference success while fostering a culture centered on accountability, academic excellence, and player development.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Matta to the Madonna Athletics family," said Emenhiser. "She has built successful programs, understands what it takes to compete in the WHAC, and has a genuine passion for developing student-athletes both on and off the field. Her experience, leadership, and vision make her an outstanding fit to lead our women's lacrosse program."

Most recently, Matta served as the head women's lacrosse coach at the University of Detroit Mercy during the 2024-25 season, overseeing every aspect of the NCAA Division I program. Her responsibilities included recruiting, compliance, scheduling, budget management, game-day operations, and student-athlete development while implementing leadership initiatives that strengthened team culture and academic success.

Prior to Detroit Mercy, Matta spent five seasons as the head coach at Siena Heights University, where she transformed the Saints into one of the WHAC's premier programs. During her tenure, Siena Heights advanced to two WHAC Tournament Championship games and earned two appearances in the NAIA Women's Lacrosse National Championship. Under her leadership, the Saints developed multiple NAIA All-Americans and Academic All-Conference honorees while consistently maintaining a team GPA above 3.4.

"I am incredibly honored and excited to become the next head coach at Madonna University," said Matta. "This opportunity is especially meaningful because I have been part of the Madonna community over the past several years and have watched the university continue to grow. I believe deeply in the mission of Madonna Athletics and the potential of this women's lacrosse program. I look forward to building a competitive, family-oriented culture where our student-athletes can thrive academically, athletically, and personally while competing for championships."

A standout student-athlete herself, Matta was a four-year starter at Indiana Institute of Technology, where she earned NAIA and NWLL All-America honors twice, was a First Team All-Conference selection, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology.

Matta's extensive experience recruiting throughout the Midwest and competing within the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference provides immediate familiarity with the conference landscape and positions the Crusaders for continued growth as the program enters its next chapter.

Matta will officially begin her duties immediately and will oversee all aspects of Madonna University's women's lacrosse program, including recruiting, player development, scheduling, fundraising, and program operations.