UMBC Adds Maggie Chizmar and Abby Sheklow to Women’s Lacrosse Coaching Staff
UMBC women’s lacrosse head coach Mike Faith continued to shape his new staff this week, announcing the additions of former Retriever standout Maggie Chizmar and rising young coach Abby Sheklow as assistant coaches.
The two hires give Faith a combination of Division I coaching experience, deep Baltimore-area recruiting ties and familiarity with his coaching philosophy as UMBC begins a new era for its women’s lacrosse program.
Faith was named UMBC’s head coach in July after spending the 2026 season at Stevenson. He returned to a Retriever program where he previously served as an assistant and brought more than 300 career head-coaching victories from the Division II and Division III levels.
Chizmar Returns Home to UMBC
For Chizmar, the move represents a homecoming.
A Bel Air, Maryland, native and 2008 UMBC graduate, Chizmar played four seasons for the Retrievers and helped UMBC capture a share of the 2006 America East regular-season championship.
She earned First-Team All-America East honors in 2007 and Second-Team honors in 2008. During her UMBC career, Chizmar recorded 75 ground balls, 64 draw controls and 33 caused turnovers over 43 games. Her 2007 season included 29 ground balls, 40 draw controls and 17 caused turnovers.
Faith originally recruited Chizmar to UMBC in 2003 and said the two had discussed coaching together for years.
Chizmar most recently worked as an assistant at VCU, where she helped the Rams finish 13-5 in 2026. VCU went 8-1 in Atlantic 10 play and advanced to the conference championship game.
Her résumé also includes stops at Babson College and Johns Hopkins.
At Babson, Chizmar helped the Beavers capture the 2021 NEWMAC championship and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She also has extensive experience in Maryland’s club and high school lacrosse scene through Northeast Maryland Select, Coppermine Lacrosse Club and John Carroll School.
That local background could prove especially valuable for UMBC.
Chizmar spent more than a decade with Northeast Maryland Select and coached dozens of athletes who eventually continued their careers at the collegiate level.
Faith specifically highlighted Chizmar’s defensive knowledge, ability to coach the draw and familiarity with Baltimore-area high school and club programs.
Sheklow Follows Faith From Stevenson
Sheklow joins Faith after coaching alongside him at Stevenson.
She joined the Mustangs’ staff in the spring of 2026 and helped Stevenson reach the MAC Commonwealth semifinals. The Mustangs also produced six All-MAC Commonwealth selections and three IWLCA All-Region selections during her time on staff.
Faith praised Sheklow’s energy and ability to work directly with players, saying he quickly recognized her potential as a coach during their time together at Stevenson.
Before entering the college coaching ranks, Sheklow served as head coach at Damascus High School and compiled a 21-6 record. Several of her players earned All-Met, All-County and All-Region honors.
Sheklow has also coached with Rebels Lacrosse Club since 2023. Her Rebels 2029 team climbed more than 100 places in the U.S. Club Lacrosse rankings during the fall of 2025.
Her playing career came at Albion College, where she competed for four seasons and helped the Britons win two Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships while reaching the NCAA Tournament. She finished her career among Albion’s top 10 in several statistical categories.
A New-Look Staff at UMBC
Faith, Chizmar and Sheklow now make up UMBC’s primary women’s lacrosse coaching staff heading into the 2026-27 season.
The moves complete a significant transition for the Retrievers after longtime head coach Amy Slade departed following the 2026 season. Slade spent 17 years with the program, including 14 as head coach, and finished with a 111-102 record.
UMBC responded by bringing Faith back to Baltimore and is now surrounding him with coaches who possess strong Maryland connections.
That could be especially important in one of the most competitive lacrosse recruiting regions in the country.
Chizmar already knows the UMBC program from the inside and has relationships throughout the local club and high school scene. Sheklow brings high school and club coaching experience of her own while already understanding Faith’s system from their season together at Stevenson.
MSB Take
This looks like a very calculated start to Mike Faith’s tenure at UMBC.
Chizmar might be the most significant addition because she checks almost every box the Retrievers need. She is a former UMBC player, understands the program’s history, has Division I coaching experience and has spent years developing relationships throughout Maryland lacrosse.
Those recruiting connections cannot be overlooked. Baltimore and the surrounding counties consistently produce Division I-caliber players, and UMBC does not have to look far from campus to find talent capable of helping the program compete for America East championships.
Sheklow gives UMBC another coach with strong local ties and, perhaps just as importantly, someone Faith already trusts. She worked with him at Stevenson and has experience developing players at the high school, club and college levels.
There is still plenty of work ahead for UMBC, but Faith is clearly building a staff with recruiting, player development and Maryland lacrosse connections in mind.
Bringing a former Retriever like Chizmar home while adding a young coach like Sheklow gives UMBC an interesting combination of experience and upside.
The goal Faith has already made clear is getting UMBC back into the NCAA Tournament. These two hires are another important step toward trying to make that happen.
