She is the first full-time head coach in program history. Gainer will be the seventh head coach in the 29-year history of the program. She comes to Eastern from the University of Charleston (W.V.) and has experience leading programs at both the Division I and II levels.

"We look forward to the growth of our Women's Lacrosse program under Elizabeth's leadership," McNelley said. "I am very pleased that we were able to, for the first time, make this a full-time position. With her extensive head coaching experience, we feel she is a perfect fit to lead the program forward. We have confidence that Elizabeth will recruit and develop quality student-athletes that will contribute to the increased success of the program and the mission of the University."

Gainer grew up in Moorestown, N.J. and played Division I lacrosse at Loyola College. After stints as an assistant at LaSalle and Villanova, she took over the top job at Holy Family University. She inherited a squad that won seven games the year before and led the Tigers to a pair of CACC Championships and won 27 games in her two seasons.

From Holy Family, she moved to Manhattan College where she led the Division I Jaspers for three seasons. She moved to the University in Charleston to take over a second-year program.

Her return to Philadelphia is also a return to her roots. Her mother coached field hockey at Eastern between 1987 and 1993.