Tim McCormack - Head Women's Lacrosse Coach
Tim McCormack was named just the fourth women's lacrosse coach at Johns Hopkins on June 7, 2022. He came to Homewood from Arizona State, where he spent the last three seasons at the helm of the Sun Devils' program.
McCormack guided Johns Hopkins to a 9-9 record and the program's first appearance in the NCAA Sweet 16 since 2016. The Blue Jays won three straight games to end the regular season and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. JHU then upset 16th-ranked UMass in the first round of the tournament. The Blue Jays ranked 19th in the nation in assists (6.72), 21st in ground balls (18.06) and 31st in points per game (19.28).
The two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, McCormack has been in charge of one of the nation's biggest turnarounds. He led Arizona State to a 26-17 record in his three seasons in Tempe with back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2021 and 2022. In the two seasons prior to his arrival, the first two in program history, the Sun Devils went 12-24. McCormack has coached 10 All-Pac 12 selections, three IWLCA All-West/Midwest honorees and three USA Lacrosse Magazine All-Americans.
McCormack took over as the head coach at Arizona State in 2020 and led the Sun Devils to a 5-3 start before the season was cancelled. The Sun Devils returned with a 10-6 record in 2021 and made the program's first appearance in the Pac-12 semifinals. This past season, McCormack led ASU to an 11-8 record and its first-ever trip to the Pac-12 championship game. Under his guidance, the Sun Devils beat five ranked opponents, including four during the 2022 season, and played eight games in 2022 against teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona State was ranked in the IWLCA/IL Top-25 for six straight weeks in 2022 and checked in at 23rd in the final poll of the season. It's the first time the Sun Devils have been ranked in the season's final poll. Arizona State made its first-ever appearance in the national rankings on March 29, 2021.
McCormack brought a fast-paced, up-tempo style to Arizona State that paid immediate dividends. In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Sun Devils led the Pac-12 and ranked 12th in the nation with 16.38 goals per game – an increase of nearly seven goals per game from the previous year. In 2021, ASU again led the conference and was sixth in the nation in scoring offense (16.44 goals/game). Last season, McCormack's squad ranked third in the Pac-12 with 13.21 goals per game.
Arizona State also showed dramatic improvement in draw controls and ground balls under McCormack's leadership. The Sun Devils ranked fourth in the Pac-12 in both categories prior to his arrival in Tempe. They ranked third in the Pac-12 in draws in 2020, second in 2021 and first in 2022. ASU also ranked in the top-10 in the nation in draws in each of the last two seasons. After finishing 2020 fourth in the Pac-12 in ground balls, Arizona State led the league in 2021 and 2022, while also ranking in the top-10 nationally.
McCormack arrived in Tempe after a six-year stint as an assistant at Northwestern, coaching the Wildcat goalies and defense. During his tenure in Evanston, the Wildcats won 81 games, made six NCAA Tournament appearances with two trips to the semifinals, and won the 2019 Big Ten Tournament title.
After graduating from the University of Massachusetts in 2012, McCormack spent one season as the head coach of the men's club lacrosse program at the University of Kentucky before joining the women's staff at Northwestern.
McCormack was a three-year starter in goal, and two-time captain, for the Minutemen. As a senior, he led UMass to a 15-1 record and the number one national ranking for the first time in program history. McCormack posted an impressive 7.09 goals against average and a .606 save percentage en route to All-CAA and USILA All-America honors. He ranks eighth in program history with 475 career saves and boasted an 8.44 goals against average and .559 save percentage in 45 career starters.
McCormack inherits a Johns Hopkins team that posted a 10-9 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2022. The Blue Jays have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four years and seven of the last eight and had three players earn All-America honors during the recently-completed 2022 season.
A native of Long Beach, New York, McCormack graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology from UMass in 2012. He and his wife Deanna, have a son, Mats, and daughter, Valerie.
Dorrien Van Dyke - Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach
Dorrien Van Dyke joined the Johns Hopkins women's lacrosse team in the summer of 2022. She came to Homewood from Arizona State, where she spent three seasons on Tim McCormack's staff.
In her first season at Homewood, Johns Hopkins went 9-9 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016. The Blue Jays ranked 19th in the nation in assists (6.72), 21st in ground balls (18.06) and 31st in points per game (19.28).
During Van Dyke's time in Tempe, the Sun Devils went 26-17 with back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2021 and 2022. Arizona State also made its first-ever appearance in the Pac-12 Championship game in 2022.
Van Dyke's Arizona State defense led the Pac-12 in ground balls and ranked fourth in scoring defense in 2021 (12.62) and 2022 (12.79). The squad also ranked third in caused turnovers in 2020 (7.13) and then second in 2021 (8.50) and 2022 (7.11). In addition to her work with the defense, Van Dyke made immediate improvements in the Sun Devil draw control unit. Arizona State ranked fourth in the Pac-12 prior to her arrival in Tempe. ASU ranked third (14.25) in 2020, second in 2021 (16.68) and then led the league (15.95) this past season. The Sun Devils also ranked in the top-20 in the nation in draws in each of the last two seasons.
Van Dyke began her coaching career in 2018 at Monmouth and helped the Hawks capture the MAAC regular season championship. She assisted in all day-to-day operations of the program, including planning practices and managing team travel. She worked closely with the midfielders and attackers.
Van Dyke then spent one season on the staff at James Madison, helping the defending national champions to the 2019 CAA regular season and tournament titles. While with the Dukes, she developed Maddie McDaniel into one of the premier draw specialists in the country. The First Team All-CAA selection set the school and conference single-season record with 127 draw controls.
Van Dyke turned an impressive career at Stony Brook and sits near the top of the Seawolves' record book in goals (5th • 197), assists (7th • 71), points (5th • 268) and draw controls (6th • 179). A three-time IWLCA All-Mid-Atlantic selection, she earned Third Team All-America honors as a senior. In her four years, Van Dyke led Stony Brook to a 72-12 record with four America East titles and four trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Van Dyke graduated from Stony Brook in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in business management. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in applied leadership and management from Arizona State.
Nicole Graziano - Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach
Nicole Graziano joined the Johns Hopkins women's lacrosse team in the summer of 2022. She came to Homewood from Arizona State, where she spent three seasons on Tim McCormack's staff.
In her first season at Homewood, Johns Hopkins went 9-9 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016. The Blue Jays ranked 19th in the nation in assists (6.72), 21st in ground balls (18.06) and 31st in points per game (19.28).
During Graziano's time in Tempe, the Sun Devils went 26-17 with back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2021 and 2022. Arizona State also made its first-ever appearance in the Pac-12 Championship game in 2022.
Graziano helped turn around the Arizona State offense. In the year prior to her arrival in Tempe, the Sun Devils ranked 96th in the nation with 9.89 goals per game. In her first season, a COVID-shortened 2020 season, ASU ranked 12th in the nation with 16.38 goals per game. Arizona State led the Pac-12 in scoring in 2020 and 2021 (16.44 goals per game) and ranked third in 2022 (13.21).
Graziano arrived at Arizona State after a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Rutgers. During her tenure with the Scarlet Knights, she assisted in all areas of program and worked specifically with the draw specialists and offensive personnel.
Graziano capped an impressive career at Florida when she was named a finalist for the Tewaaraton Award in 2016. The Big East Midfielder of the Year, she also earned First Team IWLCA All-America honors after leading the Gators to an 18-2 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Graziano played in 84 games and her name is all over the Florida record book. She ranks 14th in career points (158), 13th in goals (107), 11th in assists (51), eighth in draws (112), 10th in caused turnovers (53) and is tied for third in games played.
Graziano graduated from Florida in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in sociology and her master's degree in management in 2016.
Jill Girardi - Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach
Johns Hopkins women’s lacrosse head coach Tim McCormack announced today the addition of Jill Girardi to the Blue Jays’ coaching staff. Girardi, who comes to Homewood from Coastal Carolina, began her tenure on July 1.
Girardi began her coaching career at Coastal Carolina in August 2022. She helped the Chanticleers to a 12-7 record last season and a berth in the ASUN Semifinals. She coached the draw specialists, including Devin Rybacki, who set the program single-season record. She also managed midfield and defensive-specific training.
After a standout five-year career at Northwestern, Girardi spent last summer playing in the Athletes Unlimited Pro League. Girardi finished her career with the Wildcats with 84 goals, 21 assists and 273 draw controls. A consensus First Team All-American in 2022, she erupted for 52 goals, 62 points and a school-record 183 draws as a senior. She led the Big Ten and ranked second in the nation with 9.63 draws per game in2022. Girardi also ranked seventh in the conference in goals and 10th in points. She helped the Wildcats to a five-year record of 66-20, including a pair of Big Ten Tournament titles and three NCAA Semifinals appearances.
Tayler Kirtley - Director of Women's Lacrosse Operations
Tayler Kirtley was named Director of Operations in October 2023. She comes to Homewood following a two-year stint at Arizona State.
Kirtley served as Director of Operations for Olympic Sports at Arizona State since December 2021. She organized team travel, official visits and recruiting travel for women’s soccer, lacrosse and gymnastics. She also communicated with vendors and the business office, coordinated team meals for home and away competitions and worked with the compliance office. She also served as the Director of Operations for men’s and women’s tennis this past spring.
Prior to moving to Tempe, Kirtley spent a year and a half as the Assistant Commissioner for Championships and Special Events at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. She also served as Events Coordinator for the Omaha World-Herald, was a marketing intern for the Pinnacle Bank Championship and Event Manager for the University of South Dakota Athletic Department.
Kirtley was a four-year member of the University of South Dakota swimming and diving team and captained the team as a senior. She graduated from South Dakota in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She then earned a masters in sport management from her alma mater in 2018.