Bella Ferraro was named the Spartans' head women's lacrosse coach in January 2024.
In her second season leading the Spartans, the team finished with a 5-13 record, going 2-6 in the LEC. The Spartans fell just short of LEC playoffs.
Phoebe Loomis was named to the LEC All-Sportsmanship team
Ferraro is a natural leader, twice being named a captain while playing at Smith College and serving in leadership roles on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the Student Club for Inclusion and Diversity. She was also selected as one of just 200 NCAA student-athletes across all divisions to attend the NCAA's Career in Sports Forum during her time at Smith, setting the path for her eventual climb through the coaching ranks.
She began coaching immediately after graduation, serving as an assistant varsity lacrosse coach at Amity Regional High School in Connecticut before helping coach both the JV and varsity programs at York High School in Maine. Ferraro then went overseas to become the head coach of Nottingham Trent University's women's lacrosse team in Nottingham, England.
At Nottingham Trent University, she was tasked with leading all training sessions, skill development, and film sessions. Ferraro established a strength as a recruiter, bringing in a number of international and domestic recruits to solidify the roster. To bolster recruiting, she developed a guide for international and domestic prospective students to aid in the application and selection process. Her hard work paid off, as Nottingham Trent University was ranked top-five in the United Kingdom and top-three in its conference. In addition to her work with Nottingham Trent University, Ferraro also spent time as a volunteer coach with the England U20 Women's Team while in the United Kingdom.
While pursuing her master's degree at Nottingham Trent University, Ferraro played with the women's lacrosse team, contributing as a draw control specialist and top scorer. Under her influence, the team went on to win the BUCS Premiership 2 National Championship Game.
In addition to her coaching achievements, Ferraro currently trains year-round with the Italian Senior Women’s National Development Team, continuing to elevate her skills and knowledge of the game.
