Florida State University Athletics
Women's Lacrosse
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- sf26q@fsu.edu
Sam Forrest was hired to the Florida State women's lacrosse staff as an assistant coach in September 2026. Her primary assignment is defense.
Aside from her coaching responsibilities, Forrest plays professionally for the Maryland Charm of the Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) as a defender. In her rookie year, she helped the Charm capture their first WLL Championship in 2026.
Forrest is also a member of the U.S. Women's Lacrosse National Team (USWLNT). This past summer, she helped Team USA to their 10th total and fifth-straight gold medal at the 2026 World Championship hosted in Tokyo, Japan.Â
Forrest joins the Florida State coaching staff following a decorated playing career at North Carolina. A two-time Tewaaraton Award Top 25 nominee, Forrest earned first-team All-American honors in 2025 and 2026, was named the 2026 ACC Defender of the Year and 2025 IWLCA Defender of the Year and was a two-time first-team All-ACC selection. Forrest helped lead the Tar Heels to two NCAA National Championships in 2022 and 2025.Â
Forrest was also a two-time NCAA All-Tournament Team honoree and two-time IWLCA First-Team All-South Region selection. In 2025, she helped Team USA capture gold at the Pan-American Women's Lacrosse Championships.
A standout defender throughout her career, Forrest finished her graduate season with 30 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers while regularly matching up against opponents' top offensive threats. She was selected sixth overall by the Maryland Charm in the inaugural WLL College Draft.
A native of Glastonbury, Conn., Forrest was a two-time high school All-American and Under Armour All-American Senior Game selection before beginning her collegiate career at UNC. She graduated with a degree in communications and a minor in Spanish and is bilingual in English and Spanish.
