Hampton girls lacrosse coach Kelsey Burke makes ‘bittersweet’ departure

By: John Grupp
Saturday, May 17, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Hampton girls lacrosse coach Kelsey Burke is leaving behind one beloved family to focus on another.

Burke, an expectant mom, told her players after the Talbots’ 12-1 victory over Trinity in the WPIAL Class 2A first round May 12 that this will be her final season.

“It’s very bittersweet,” she said.

Burke and her husband, Jeff, will welcome their second child in October. The family’s newest member joins a 1-year-old sister.

The Talbots were looking to extend their season against No. 4 Blackhawk (12-2) on May 14 in a WPIAL quarterfinal game that ended after the deadline for this edition.

During her 11 seasons, Burke, 36, turned the Talbots (11-7 as of May 13) into a consistent winner. The year before she arrived, Hampton had a losing record. Burke, known then as Kelsey Viets, was promoted to head coach from the school’s middle school program before the 2015 season and quickly built a winning culture. Under her guidance, the Talbots were 135-62-1 and won WPIAL titles in 2017 and ‘18. They won or shared six section titles, reached the WPIAL playoffs every season, and sent many players to the collegiate level.

“Kelsey meant everything,” said Kent State assistant coach Sarah Rech, who in 2019 became the Talbots’ first Division I commit (Akron). “She was my only coach. She coached me from when I picked up a stick for the first time until I committed to college. She was an incredible role model.”

The winning mentality showed this season after the Talbots dropped their first three games by a combined score of 41-6. They rebounded to win their next five and finished 9-1 in Section 1-2A, earning the No. 5 seed in the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs.

“A lot of people this year stepped up,” senior midfielder Lizzy Saponsky said in the days leading up to the playoffs. “It was a lot of team connection. We have a lot of trust in our team. We’re succeeding more when we are playing together.”

Hampton never ducked anyone with its nonsection schedule — Burke’s overall record could have been even more impressive — and those early-season tests helped the Talbots dominate in section play. Dating to 2016, they went 81-7 in their final 88 section games under Burke.

“Sometimes it’s a little bit humbling, but it’s a great lesson,” Burke said of the tough nonsection schedules. “It’s a test they need. I’d rather have those games any day than a game where we are on the opposite end and not being challenged.”

The Talbots this season relied on excellent defense and balanced scoring. With junior Taylor Whitman in the net, they allowed 3.4 goals per game in section play. Among the 40 girls lacrosse teams in the WPIAL, only Mars (2.9) allowed fewer goals per section game.

“Taylor is a fantastic goalie,” Burke said. “She is phenomenal. She has the perfect composure of a goalie.”

The offense featured three 20-goal scorers: Saponsky, senior midfielder Ava Galuska and sophomore midfielder Dillon Perry.

“It’s not just one of us scoring all of the goals,” Saponsky said. “There are multiple scorers each game, which I think is amazing. Obviously, it’s nice to score a goal, but at the same time, I also like celebrating when my teammate does.”

Other seniors are defender Olivia Graswick, the only three-time captain under Burke; midfielder Lillian Ketler, attack Emerson Pryal, Mount Union-bound attack Ava Nee, and defenders Sophia DiMaria, Gianna Kuhlmann and Payton Galietti, an all-section volleyball player who joined lacrosse for the first time.

“It’s a great group of girls,” Burke said. “I’m very proud of the culture we’ve been able to build.”

Tags: Hampton