Eastern Standout Lax Player Returns To Coach Warrior Women's Program

WILLIMANTIC, CT — A decorated lacrosse defender at Eastern Connecticut State University is returning to her alma mater to head up the program.

Devyne Doran (Class of 2017) has been appointed as the seventh permanent head coach in the 29-year history of the Warrior women’s lacrosse program. She is the first alumnus to assume the role.

Eastern Director of Athletics Lori Runksmeier made the announcement Monday.

A native of South Kingstown, RI, Doran returns to Eastern after playing four seasons (2014-17) and serving as an assistant for two years (2018-19) under former head coach Christine Hutchison.

Doran replaces Dee Stephan, who compiled a three-year record of 22-25.

"I'm so happy to welcome Devyne back to the Warrior family," Runksmeier said. "Her commitment to our student-athletes’ experience was palpable during the interview process. I look forward to her engagement with our women's lacrosse alumnae, and appreciate her passion for Eastern athletics."

Doran was a four-year starter on defense under Hutchison and remained as an assistant coach under Hutchison before being named to her first collegiate head coaching position at Mitchell College prior to the 2020 season.

After two seasons at Mitchell, Doran was named head women's lacrosse coach at Framingham State University prior to the 2022 season, compiling a two-year record of 23-16, 11-3 in the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference regular season.

In her first year, she led the second-seeded Rams to their first MASCAC tournament title and first
appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament, the team finishing 11-8 overall and 6-1 in the
MASCAC.

Last spring under Doran, Framingham finished 12-8 overall and as the third seed, reached the
championship game of the MASCAC tournament with wins over No. 6 Fitchburg State University and No. 2 Bridgewater State University, avenging a loss to Bridgewater in the regular season. Four
Framingham players were named to the MASCAC All-Star team, three of them voted to the first team.

Doran said of her appointment: “I am proud to be named the next head women's lacrosse coach at
Eastern Connecticut State University. Thank-you to Lori Runksmeier and the search committee for this amazing opportunity. I couldn't be more excited to return home to my alma mater and build upon the foundation of Eastern's success which I am so grateful to have been a part of. I am committed to Eastern's tradition of excellence by fostering a positive and competitive culture within the program. I can't wait to get to work on the 2024 season."

Doran was hired as the fourth head coach in the history of the Mitchell women’s lacrosse program prior to the coronavirus pandemic, which limited the team to two matches in 2020 and a total of 14 matches in two years (2020 and 2021).

"Devyne will be a great addition to the Eastern athletic department," offered Hutchison, who directed the Eastern women's lacrosse program for 14 years between 2007 and 2020, and is entering her 18th year this fall as head field hockey coach. "She will bring competitiveness, enthusiasm and a strong work ethic to the program, just like she did when she was here as an athlete. Devyne will be an excellent role model for all her future Eastern athletes and will foster an environment where her athletes will enjoy their experience while being able to grow and learn physically and mentally on and off the field,” added Hutchison. "She is passionate about the sport and in making Eastern the best team possible."

As a senior in 2017 at Eastern, Doran repeated as Little East Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Year, and was additionally named All-Little East for the fourth straight year (third time to the first team), second-team IWLCA All-Berkshire Region, and became the first Eastern defender named to the IWLCA Senior All-Star Game. In her final playing season that year, Doran led Eastern to its second straight LEC regular-season title with a perfect 6-0 record (14-5 overall) and into the conference championship game.

That year, she shared the conference lead in draw controls (63), tied for second in ground balls (54) and was third in caused turnovers (39), setting personal season-highs in all three of those categories. Her caused turnover total equaled the third-most in a season in program history. Offensively, she also chipped in nine goals and an assist in 2017.

In her career, Doran started all 66 matches in which she appeared, missing only one. She led the team in ground balls and caused turnovers every year and in draw controls twice. All-time, she ranks in a tie for third all-time in draws (193) and is seventh in ground balls (181).

Doran holds a B.A. Degree in Sociology from Eastern.