Meet Our Coaches
Grace Johnson
Owner / Head Coach
Meet Grace Johnson, the owner and dedicated coach who brings years of experience and passion to the Vermont Valkyries Lacrosse team.
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Grace played lacrosse all four years in high school during her regular season, as well as on multiple travel teams during the summer, where she made the Brine All-American team. She continued her lacrosse journey in college at Castleton University, starting every game and scoring the game-winning goal in the last few seconds of the NAC championship in her freshman year.
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Other accomplishments include; being named to the NAC All-Tournament team and Rookie of the week (2014), ranked 5th on the team in points and 4th in the NAC conference for most assists (2015), named NAC Second-Team All-Conference and was tied for team lead in assists (2016), named Captain, NAC First-Team All-Conference and currently holds the record for third most assists in Castleton University Women's Lacrosse program history (2017).
After graduating, Grace transitioned into coaching. First, with Williston and Essex rec (2017-2019) and with Catamount Lacrosse club travel team (2018-2021). In 2020 she began coaching the Essex JV girls lacrosse team and the New England Oaks Lacrosse club travel team until 2023.
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Now, with Grace's expertise and dedication she has started the Vermont Valkyries Lacrosse team where she will continue to grow the game of girls lacrosse in Vermont.
Hannah Himes
Goalie/Defensive Coach
Hannah played lacrosse all four years at Essex High School as a goalie, and played with 802 Lacrosse during the summers of 2018 & 2020. After graduating high school in 2021, Hannah continued her athletic career at Colby-Sawyer College where she is in her senior year playing both soccer and lacrosse. Although she started as a goalie, five games into her freshman season, the coaches decided to try her at defense, where she has started every game since.
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Other accomplishments include; Being named to the GNAC (Great Northeast Athletic Conference) All-Rookie Team and Second Team All-Conference (2022) and GNAC First Team All-Conference (2023, 2024). In 2023, she caused the 2nd most caused turnovers in school program history in a single season (51), and then in 2024 she beat her own record in caused turnovers in a single season (53). She ended the 2023 season causing the most turnovers in the entire GNAC.
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After her first year at CSC, she became the assistant coach of her high school alma mater girls varsity lacrosse team, where she has continued to develop players for the past three seasons. During the summers Hannah was an assistant goalie/defensive coach for the New England Oaks Lacrosse club team in 2022 and 2023.
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Vermont Valkyries Lacrosse is very excited to have the opportunity to have Hannah join our coaching staff this year!
Caroline Wood
Defensive Coach
Caroline grew up playing lacrosse in her home town of Victor, NY. For five years she played travel lacrosse with Relentless Hustle, a travel team based out of western, NY. Following her high school graduation in 2018, Caroline continued her lacrosse career at the University of Indianapolis where she graduated in 2022. Caroline and the Greyhounds ended the 2022 season by clinching a Division II National Championship win. In addition, Caroline is a three time GLVC Conference Champion and a one time Regional Champion.
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Other accomplishments include; being named to the GLIAC Conference All Academic Team (2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022), IWCLA Division II Academic Honor Roll (2021), and GLVC Council of Presidents' Academic Excellence Award (2022).
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Caroline has experience coaching at various grade and performance levels. During her past summers home from college, she coached and assisted summer youth teams in Victor, NY. Caroline also worked with a travel team based in Indiana. In the spring of 2023 she became a board certified lacrosse official. Officiating JV and Varsity games throughout the state of Vermont.