11 National Championships: Kelly Amonte Hiller on Winning Through Adversity

Join me and legendary Northwestern women's lacrosse coach Kelly Amonte Hiller for an insightful and inspiring conversation about championship culture, adversity, and the mindset that drives sustained excellence.

Kelly's journey is a masterclass in resilience and evolution—from leading her team through an uncharacteristically tough start to the season, to capturing her ninth national championship as a coach on home turf. She shares the behind-the-scenes process of overcoming setbacks, the power of reflection, and the importance of getting everyone "rowing in the same direction." Kelly opens up about the origins of her work ethic, the blue-collar values instilled by her family, and how embracing adversity and self-honesty have been critical for both personal and team growth.

We dive deep into the philosophies that have shaped her dynastic program: a relentless commitment to hard work, the humility to look in the mirror, and the courage to constantly evolve. Kelly also discusses the impact of supporting her former players now turned coaches, the beauty of fostering growth in young women, and the ultimate legacy of her leadership—building a culture where true greatness is measured not just in wins, but in the long-lasting bonds formed along the way.

About Kelly –

Already a legend in the game as a player, Kelly Amonte Hiller has established herself as one of the sport's greatest coaches after building Northwestern Lacrosse into a dynasty. In May of 2005, Amonte Hiller etched her name in the annals of college athletics when she guided her upstart Northwestern team to an undefeated season and the first NCAA Lacrosse Championship ever won by a team outside the Eastern Time Zone, the first of an incredible nine national titles.

Under Amonte Hiller's direction the Wildcats most recently claimed the 2026 NCAA National Championship, her ninth as the head coach of the program. Amonte Hiller became the first Division I lacrosse coach (men's or women's) to win nine national titles, guiding NU to a championship win on home soil for the first time since 1986 (Maryland). The 'Cats took down three IWLCA No. 1-ranked squads throughout the course of the season, the most in a campaign in NCAA History. Northwestern has made six consecutive appearances in the NCAA Semifinals (2019-26), reaching the finals the last four consecutive seasons.

After resurrecting a Northwestern program that had not competed at the varsity level in more than 10 years, Amonte Hiller led the Wildca