Gannon University
NCAA DII • PSAC
Date: March 17, 2026
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Coach Jennifer Pawlowski joined Gannon University in 2019 following the dismissal of the previous head coach. Prior to her arrival at Gannon, she had coaching experience at Wheeling University and Edinboro University, and also served as a strength and conditioning coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. Her first season appeared promising, with the team starting 4–1 in away games. However, over time many players observed a decline in team morale and an increase in athlete turnover. During the recruiting process, Coach Pawlowski was described by players and families as attentive and communicative. She frequently engaged with recruits and their parents and encouraged players to reach out if they needed support. However, several players reported that this level of communication and accessibility decreased significantly after they joined the program. 2021 Team Discipline Incident During the 2021 season, several team members attended an off-campus university party. A report was submitted through the university safety application “LiveSafe,” identifying members of the lacrosse team as being present. The following day, Coach Pawlowski held what was described as an emergency team meeting and required players who attended the party to identify themselves. Players were informed that failure to acknowledge their attendance could result in removal from the team. After this meeting, a separate team group chat was created that excluded the players who had attended the party. According to multiple players, members of the team were instructed to avoid interacting with those individuals on campus during their suspension from team activities. During the suspension period, Coach Pawlowski met individually with the players involved. Several athletes reported receiving different messaging during these meetings. Some players stated they were told that their involvement in the incident was not surprising based on prior perceptions of them. When the players returned to practice, they were reportedly required to complete additional conditioning drills such as running, bear crawls, and burpees as a consequence. TikTok Incident During the same season, a group of players created a TikTok video that included no visible alcohol consumption or illegal activity. The video did contain empty bottles in the background. Coach Pawlowski later gathered the team in the weight room, displayed the video, and read aloud several comments left by viewers. According to players present, some of the comments read aloud included sexually explicit or degrading remarks directed at the athletes. Rather than addressing the inappropriate nature of those comments, players reported that the comments were read to the team as part of a discussion about the video. Several athletes described the experience as publicly embarrassing. Quarantine Food Situation During a period when several athletes were quarantined, players reported receiving frozen meals from the university that were difficult to identify or eat. One team member ordered groceries to improve access to food during this time. According to players, this individual later received disciplinary consequences related to that decision. Training Practices and Injury Concerns Players described a recurring training period referred to as “mental toughness week,” during which athletes completed physically demanding drills with limited explanation of expectations. Some players reported being penalized with additional conditioning if drills were not executed correctly. Over several seasons, multiple athletes reportedly experienced stress reactions or stress fractures in areas such as the tibia, femur, and foot. Some players expressed concerns about the volume of running and conditioning. Coach Pawlowski attributed these injuries to athletes not adequately taking care of themselves or not consistently utilizing athletic training resources. Team Culture and Player Ranking Several players reported that Coach Pawlowski maintained a ranking board in her office that listed players by position (attack, midfield, defense, and goalie) from top to bottom. Athletes reported that these rankings sometimes changed week to week based on performance or disciplinary issues. Some players felt that this system created unnecessary stress and competition within the team. The board was reportedly removed after a first-year player raised concerns that the practice negatively affected team morale and mental well-being. Personal Boundaries Some players reported being asked personal questions about their relationships or sexual activity. Athletes described feeling uncomfortable discussing these topics in a team environment. Additionally, some players reported instances where certain individuals were publicly identified as the most important player on the team, which led other athletes to feel undervalued. Player Attrition Over approximately four years, more than 30 athletes reportedly left the lacrosse program. When a player leaves a team at Gannon University, they are required to meet with the Associate Athletic Director, who at the time was Dan Teleski. Several former players reported sharing concerns about their experiences during those meetings. Strength and Conditioning Concerns Coach Pawlowski also served as the team’s strength and conditioning coach. Some athletes questioned whether the training program was appropriately tailored to the physical demands of collegiate lacrosse, noting that workouts frequently involved full-body lifting sessions three times per week. Players expressed concerns that this approach did not always emphasize agility or injury prevention. During one season when an external Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist assisted with training, players reported a noticeable reduction in ligament injuries. Conditioning Practices Players reported that conditioning drills frequently involved repeated sideline-to-sideline runs within specific time limits. Some athletes felt that these drills did not reflect the movement patterns typical of lacrosse gameplay. Additionally, players reported instances where conditioning would continue until athletes were physically exhausted or ill. In some cases, Coach Pawlowski reportedly selected one player whose performance determined when the team could stop conditioning. According to players, this individual was sometimes a less-conditioned athlete, which resulted in extended conditioning for the entire team. Overall Program Environment Many athletes reported experiencing significant stress and anxiety associated with team practices and conditioning sessions. Several players described feeling that the team environment often fostered competition among teammates rather than collaboration.