Liza Oakley - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Liza Oakley

Title:
Assistant Coach

Last Updated: June 3, 2021

Fresno State lacrosse head coach Kara Concheck announced the addition of assistant coach Liza Oakley to the program on Friday, January 8, 2021.

Oakley joined the Bulldogs to coach the defenders and goalkeepers for the 2021 season. While with the Bulldogs, Oakley worked alongside Concheck in tough circumstances following the COVID-19 pandemic. With only 18 student-athletes on the active roster, the coaching duo made the best of what it had and pushed the Bulldogs to its first-ever Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship Game.

Defensively, Oakley coached up the Bulldogs to new personal and program records. The Bulldogs were in the top of the MPSF standings in ground balls and caused turnovers, as a team and as individuals.

Fresno State had the conference leader in ground balls in 2021 in Abbigayle Roberts who recorded 36. Roberts also became the program’s leader in career ground balls. Hennessey Evans was the No. 2 player in the conference with 17 caused turnovers on the year. The ‘Dogs had three student-athletes record double digit caused turnovers in 2021.

Oakley played a big role in preparing first-year starting goalkeeper Courtney Walburger (senior) for game action. Walburger finished the season No. 4 in the NCAA in saves per game (11.93) and No. 3 in the NCAA in total saves (167). Walburger was Fresno State’s first MPSF Defensive Player of the Week since the 2018 season after a career-high 18 saves in the cage on Senior Day. Walburger was the Bulldogs' lone goalkeeper on the roster that season, and played all 840 minutes of the season (14 games).

Oakley came to Fresno State from Lynchburg, where she spent the last two years as an assistant coach for the Hornets. Last season, Oakley coached the defense and the draw. In her defensive scheme, the team's defense ran on a team-unit style and boasted all-state caliber athletes. In her first season with Lynchburg (2018-19), she ran the offense and the draw. Oakley coached the top two attackers in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference that season.

Her assistant coach duties also included a heavy hand in recruiting, organizing travel and overseeing academic success on the team. In the 2019-20 school year, Oakley helped lead the women's lacrosse team to its highest team GPA in the last 10 years, despite virtual learning and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oakley also has coaching experience with Dodgers Lacrosse in Hartford, CT (2014-15) and Valley Select Lacrosse in Roanoke, VA (2019).

As a student-athlete herself, Oakley was a starting defender for the Mount Saint Mary's women's lacrosse team. In 2018, she was the defensive leader for the Mountaineers. She was a part of the third-best scoring defense in Division I women's lacrosse that season. Oakley also was a three-time NEC All-Academic selection as a student-athlete.

Oakley served as an intern with the athletic's development department at Mount St. Mary's. In this role, she helped with alumni engagement, marketing, student relations, and helped conduct the operation side of sporting events.

Oakley graduated with a bachelor's degree in Finance and Economics from Mount St. Mary's in May 2018. She is currently pursuing her MBA.