Meredith Simon Black was named the first head coach in Marquette women's lacrosse history on Feb. 4, 2011.

Simon Black arrives at Marquette after spending the last six years as an assistant coach at Towson, Notre Dame and the University of California-Berkeley. She helped Towson and Notre Dame to a combined four NCAA Championship appearances and is set to begin her first season at Cal where she works with the Golden Bears' attack and goaltenders.

At Notre Dame from 2008-10, she helped the Irish to a 39-19 record in three seasons, including the 2009 BIG EAST Championship and three NCAA Championship appearances. Simon Black coached four all-Americans (Jillian Byers, Gina Scioscia, Caitlin McKinney and Shaylyn Blaney) during that time and oversaw the 2009 team that set school records for goals (321), assists (150) and points (471), while claiming the BIG EAST title and advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship.

She took her first coaching job at Towson in 2005 after a standout career as a student-athlete at Notre Dame, and helped the Tigers to their first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title and NCAA Championship berth in school history. Following three years at Towson (2005-07) under head coach Missy Doherty, Simon Black returned to her alma mater as an assistant under Tracy Coyne, for whom she played as an undergraduate.

During her playing career at Notre Dame, Simon Black helped the Fighting Irish to the first two NCAA Championship appearances in school history in 2002 and 2004. She was also the school's first student-athlete to be named an Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) First Team All-American in 2004, while setting the then-Notre Dame single-season scoring mark with 74 points on 46 goals and 28 assists. Simon Black led ND to the NCAA Tournament that season and became the first ND player nominated for the Tewaaraton Award, honoring the nation's top player.

She was also a two-time All-BIG EAST First Team selection (2003 and 2004) and was named the BIG EAST Attack co-Player of the Year in 2004.

The Flemington, N.J., native concluded her career with the Irish first in school history in games played (64), third in goals (109), fourth in assists (49), third in points (158), tied for fourth in ground balls (123) and third in draw controls (91).

Simon Black graduated from Notre Dame with a bachelor's degree in American studies in 2004 and was a four-time dean's list selection.

Black prepped at Hunterdon Central High School in New Jersey, where she was a three-sport standout in soccer, basketball and lacrosse.

The former Meredith Simon married Adam Black in October of 2010.