FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason University women's lacrosse head coach Kara Mupo has announced the addition of Leah Knowles to the Patriots coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Knowles joins George Mason after two seasons on staff at Wingate University, where she served as a graduate assistant in 2024-25 before becoming a full-time assistant coach in 2025-26. She will work with the Patriots on offensive and draw strategies while also assisting with the program's off-the-field management.

"I am extremely excited to welcome Leah to Mason Nation and the Mason Lacrosse family! Leah comes from an extremely established program at Wingate University, where as a player she had a dominant career etching her name in program history, and as a coach helped elevate the draw unit to new heights. Between her experience with the draw and her dominance in the midfield, Leah will undoubtedly have an immediate impact on our student athletes and staff," said Mupo.

At Wingate, Knowles specialized in draw control and helped the Bulldogs increase their team draw controls from 290 to 350 over the past two seasons, while increasing their draw control wins over opponents from +77 to +204. She also contributed to team management and social media efforts.

A standout midfielder during her playing career at Wingate from 2019-24, Knowles helped the Bulldogs capture the first regular-season and tournament championships in program history in 2023. She was a three-time Second-Team IWLCA All-American, four-time SAC First-Team All-Conference selection, two-time SAC Offensive Player of the Year and one-time SAC Midfielder of the Year. She also earned SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors and the 2024 SAC Presidents Award, the conference's highest individual honor.

"I am extremely excited to be joining the Mason Lacrosse Program this year alongside Kara Mupo and Meghan Deehan. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with this program and help build a strong competitive foundation both on and off the field. I look forward to contributing to the team's growth and bringing the program's vision to life throughout the year!" said Knowles.

Knowles earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Master of Arts in Sports Management and a Master of Public Health from Wingate University.