Ashley Irwin begins her third season as the Colonels field hockey head coach in 2025 after being named to the position in mid February 2023.
Her second year in 2024 saw the team finish 3-15 overall with a 1-8 conference record. Irwin saw nine student-athletes selected to the NFHCA National Academic Squad, with two named NFHCA Division III Scholars of Distinction in Oliva Gayoski and Emily Bramble
In her first season in 2023, the Colonels finished their debut campaign in the Landmark with a 4-5 conference record and a 9-9 overall record, reaching the Landmark Conference Tournament first round. Irwin mentored two All-Landmark Honorable Mention selections in Morgan Hermanofski and Cortney Keim, nine NFHCA National Academic Squad members, and two NFHCA Division III Scholars of Distinction in McKenna Budzak and Morgan Millard.
Irwin joined Wilkes from Keystone College where she spent the previous nine seasons as the Giants head coach. She took over the Giants program prior to the 2014 season and went 68-75 overall and 37-17 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) games over her tenure. In early 2021, Irwin was added as an assistant athletics director in addition to serving as the Giants' compliance coordinator and senior woman administrator.
In 2018 Irwin led Keystone to the program's first CSAC title following an 8-0 conference regular season. The Giants fell to No. 7 TCNJ in the First Round of the NCAA Division III Field Hockey National Tournament that season to finish 14-5 overall. Irwin was named the CSAC Coach of the Year in 2022.
Irwin led the Giants to two CSAC Championship runner-up finishes and three other times Keystone made the Semifinal round of the conference postseason tournament as she coached the team into postseason play in six of the eight seasons of competition.
During her time at Keystone Irwin coached one All-American (Savanna Robinson, 2019 Third Team NFHCA All-American), five All-Region players, five CSAC Players of the Year, 12 All-CSAC First Team selections, and 27 total All-CSAC selections.
Irwin is currently a NFHCA Division III All-American Committee member and previously served as a NCAA Regional Advisory Field Hockey Committee member for Region IV while at Keystone and in the CSAC.
Irwin also coached the Keystone women's lacrosse team for five seasons from 2016-2020, going 28-28 overall and 21-15 in the CSAC. She earned CSAC Coach of the Year honors in 2019.
Prior to taking the Keystone field hockey head coaching position Irwin served as the Meyers High School field hockey assistant coach and JV head coach from 2011-2014. She also served as an assistant coach for the Coughlin High School girl's lacrosse team from 2012-2015 including co-head coach duties.
Irwin is a native of Douglasville, Pa. and graduate of Daniel Boone Area High School in Birdsboro, Pa. She went to King's College, graduating in 2011 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education.
During her playing career at King's from 2006-2009 she played in 67 games with 47 starts and won back-to-back MAC Freedom championships and made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007. She served as Vice President and President of SAAC during her time at King's as well.
