Syracuse Hires Riley VanHoltz as Lacrosse Assistant
Former Orange All-American VanHoltz joins Regy Thorpe's staff to handle offensive game planning, replacing Nicole Levy.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Volleyball
Syracuse women's lacrosse head coach Regy Thorpe hired Riley VanHoltz as an assistant coach, announced Monday. VanHoltz, a former Syracuse All-American, replaces Nicole Levy, who left in August to become Hofstra head coach.
Why it matters
The hire fills a coaching vacancy created when Levy departed for Hofstra, and brings back a former four-year starter with ties to the program. VanHoltz will oversee offensive game planning for the Orange.
VanHoltz scored 143 goals and recorded 83 assists over her Syracuse career, placing 7th in program history in combined goals and assists. Her Syracuse totals are documented, but the stub does not detail her coaching performance metrics at Cornell beyond the program's 2025 scoring average.
The players
Regy Thorpe
Thorpe is the head coach of the Syracuse women's lacrosse program who announced the hire and oversees the coaching staff.
Riley VanHoltz
VanHoltz is a former Syracuse All-American and four-year starter who previously coached at Cornell and returns to the program as an assistant.
Nicole Levy
Levy previously served as an assistant at Syracuse before leaving in August to become Hofstra's head coach.
The details
VanHoltz earned second-team IWLCA All-American honors in 2017 and was part of four NCAA Tournament teams as a Syracuse player. She spent two seasons as an assistant at Cornell and has prior assistant coaching stops at Le Moyne and East Carolina.
Timeline
August 2026: Nicole Levy left Syracuse to become Hofstra head coach.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Thorpe announced the hiring of VanHoltz.
Season Trajectory
The hire keeps a former Orange standout in the program's coaching orbit as Syracuse rebuilds its staff following Levy's departure to Hofstra. Cornell's 14-plus goals per game in 2025 offers a benchmark for the offensive system VanHoltz is expected to help maintain.
The hire changes who runs offensive game planning for Syracuse women's lacrosse heading into the next season. Fans following the program can track how VanHoltz's Cornell scoring approach translates to the Orange's attack.
The takeaway
Programs that promote former players into coaching roles often gain continuity in offensive systems and player relationships. Watch how Syracuse's attack performs under VanHoltz's game planning as the staff takes shape.
Further reading
For more on the Orange's other programs, see Volleyball coverage in Syracuse.
