SWEET BRIAR, Va. – Sweet Briar College is pleased to announce the hiring of Kylie Gargiulo as its next head field hockey coach, with her duties beginning on July 1st.
Gargiulo joins the Vixens following a successful tenure at American International College (AIC), where she spent three seasons on staff, including the past two as head coach.
"We are thrilled to welcome Kylie to Sweet Briar College," said Donna Hodgert, Director of Athletics. "Her commitment to student-athlete development, competitive excellence, and academic achievement aligns perfectly with our mission. Kylie has demonstrated the ability to build strong team cultures, develop talent, and lead with integrity, and we are excited for the future of our field hockey program under her leadership."
In her first season leading the Yellow Jackets, Gargiulo guided the program to its highest win total in several years while keeping AIC in contention for a Northeast-10 Conference (NE10) playoff berth through the final day of the season despite roster limitations and injuries. Under her leadership, the program continued its tradition of academic excellence, earning NFHCA National Academic Team recognition and maintaining one of the highest team GPAs in NCAA Division II.
During her tenure, Gargiulo coached Frederique den Hartog to Northeast-10 Rookie of the Year honors, marking the first time in program history that an AIC field hockey student-athlete received the award. Den Hartog also earned NE10 All-Conference Second Team and All-Rookie Team recognition. Gargiulo additionally mentored numerous NFHCA National Academic Squad selections, Scholars of Distinction, and conference academic award recipients.
Prior to being named head coach, Gargiulo served as AIC's lead assistant coach, contributing to all aspects of the program, including recruiting, player development, scouting, game preparation, travel coordination, academic support, and alumni engagement. Working closely with the goalkeepers, she helped mentor Taylor Wildes to selection in the NFHCA Division II Senior All-Star Game, only the third such selection in program history.
Beyond the collegiate level, Gargiulo served as goalkeeper coach for the James Vick Foundation's U16 and U19 programs and led the U16 team as head coach. She has also provided private instruction to numerous goalkeepers, helping student-athletes advance to collegiate competition across multiple divisions.
Committed to continuous professional growth, Gargiulo participated in the 2024 Zag Olympic Tour, a collaboration between the National Field Hockey Coaches Association and Zag Sports Tours. The experience provided opportunities to learn from elite international coaches while observing world-class competition at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
As a student-athlete at Assumption University, Gargiulo established herself as one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in program history. She compiled a 46-13 career record across 59 appearances while posting a 1.02 goals-against average, a .797 save percentage, and 26 career shutouts. She helped lead the Greyhounds to three NCAA Tournament appearances, two NCAA Division II semifinal appearances, and a Northeast-10 Conference Championship.
Gargiulo's coaching philosophy centers on building meaningful relationships, fostering accountability, and creating an environment where student-athletes can thrive academically, athletically, and personally. She is passionate about developing confident leaders and building programs defined by hard work, resilience, and a team-first culture.
"I am incredibly honored and excited to join the Sweet Briar community," said Gargiulo. "Sweet Briar's commitment to empowering women and developing leaders through athletics strongly resonates with me. I look forward to building relationships with our student-athletes, alumnae, and campus community as we work together to continue growing a competitive and meaningful field hockey program."
Gargiulo graduated from Assumption in 2012 with a degree in human services and rehabilitation with a concentration in occupational therapy.
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