This summer Jon Bon Jovi released his hit single, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home?” For one former Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse player, those same words apply to her return to the university’s lacrosse team.

Former standout Christy Smallman was hired as an assistant coach for the women’s lacrosse team on Oct. 2. She joins a coaching staff that includes second-year head coach Danie Caro and second-year assistant coach Colby Confer. Smallman returns to her alma mater, which looks to return to the NEC tournament for the fourth consecutive year and is very excited to be back at her old stomping grounds.

“The program has changed so much since I started as a freshman,” Smallman said. “It’s really fun for me to be able to see the improvements every year and see the new girls that are coming in each year to help improve the program.”

Smallman applied for the job because of her love of coaching. Before being named the assistant at Quinnipiac she had other previous coaching experiences. She has been a coach with the NEWLAX Lacrosse Club since May of 2005. She also coached with NUTMEG Lacrosse in Southington for two years.

“I love coaching. I’ve always coached whenever I could,” Smallman said. “When I had a little more time on my plate this year, I decided that I really wanted to get involved with the program again.”

Smallman wants to give back to the program where she excelled as a player. She graduated in 2005 as the all-time assists leader with 73 and tallied 81 career goals, which ranks seventh all-time. She is tied for second all-time in points with 154. Because Smallman graduated from the program in 2005, she will be coaching some players that were formerly her teammates.

“The girls have been really professional about it, knowing that our relationship has changed a little bit,” Smallman said. “It’s really fun for me. Especially to be involved with the program as they’re graduating because some of these girls were freshmen when I graduated.”

She believes the team can build upon the success they had last season.

“They need to embrace the freshmen that came in and keep building on that foundation,” Smallman said.

Since joining the team as an assistant coach, Smallman likes what she sees from the team in practice.

“In practices so far in fall ball, they have been playing really well together,” she said. “We’ve been putting in a few new concepts on both the defensive and offensive ends.”

“I think the girls are going to make it to the finals this year,” Smallman said.