Women's Lacrosse
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- jillian.rizzo@marquette.edu
- Phone:
- 288-2006
- Alma Mater:
- Ohio State, 2020
- Experience:
- Third Season
Jill Rizzo completed her third season with the Golden Eagles in 2024.
Marquette ranked in the top 10 in the nation in draw controls (297) and draw controls per game (17.47) in 2024. The offense was top 25 in the nation and first in the BIG EAST with over 32 shots per game led by Meg Bireley (8.94 shots per game) and Leigh Steiner (7.12 shots per game), who were first and second in the conference.
The defense let up four goals at Xavier on April 20, 2024, the fourth-lowest opponent total in program history.
A member of the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year in 2023, Rizzo helped lead Marquette to its first NCAA tournament appearance after a 15-4 record and going 5-1 in the BIG EAST, both program bests in wins.
Rizzo was hired as an assistant coach for the Marquette women's lacrosse team in June 2021. She joins head coach Meredith Black and associate head coach Caitlin Wolf on the coaching staff.
Rizzo comes to MU after a phenomenal career on the field as Ohio State's goalie from 2016-21. She was a five-year starter (COVID year in 2020) in college and saved a program-record 777Â shots, which is No. 1 among current NCAA women's lacrosse players. She tallied a .469 save percentage and won 28 games as a starter during her time in Columbus. Her 203 career ground balls also put her at No. 2 all-time among NCAA players.
"I am beyond grateful for the opportunity provided by coach Black to join the Marquette women's lacrosse coaching staff," Rizzo said. "I am honored to be a part of the rich culture of excellence at Marquette University and I'm so excited to get started!"
A four-time team captain at OSU, Rizzo was named Second Team All-Midwest Region and Second Team All-Big Ten in 2021. She played in 70 of 71 games in five-year career, starting 69 of them. Not only is she OSU's all-time leader in saves (772), but she's the only Buckeye with more than 600 saves in her career.
Although this will be her first experience as an assistant coach, Coach Black believes that Rizzo's leadership and on-field experience will translate seamlessly into her coaching career.
"I am so excited for the addition of Jill to our program," Black said. "Her experience and success as a goalie at the Division I level speaks for itself. She has an extremely high-level lacrosse IQ and I know she will work wonders with our defense and goalies as our new assistant coach. Jill is very motivated and eager to jump in and make us better."
A two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, she was also a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a five-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete. Rizzo ranked second among active players in career saves per game (11.03), and ground balls (203) while ranking fifth with 2.90 ground balls per game. During OSU's 2020 matchup with the Golden Eagles, Rizzo started in net and saved 17 shots in a 16-14 win.
The Queensbury, N.Y., native earned her Ohio State degree in business administration in the Spring of 2020 and enrolled in graduate school for sport management.Â
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- 2021 Second Team All-Midwest Region and Second Team All-Big Ten
- Four-time team captain
- Four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, five-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete
- 2020 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
- Ohio State’s all-time leader in career saves (777); 36 career games with 10 or more saves
- Played in 70 of 71 games in five-year career, starting 69
- Recorded 600th career save against Cincinnati in Spring 2020; only Buckeye with 600+ stops
- 203 career ground balls, ranking second in program history and just the second Buckeye to cross the 200-ground ball mark
- Two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (2/21/17, 2/12/19)
