New Cardinals girls lacrosse coach Callie Santos had an enjoyable first day of practice earlier this week at Stellos Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Leslie Why was on the Stellos Stadium turf, but had left to get a coat during the chilly first day of practice earlier this week.

Another coach with a clipboard and wearing a BG cap said to an onlooker, “Hi, are you looking for someone?”

Yes, she was told, the head coach.

“That’s me,” she said.

Yes, Callie Santos has a new title, as does former Cards head coach Why. Santos is now running the show, while Why, who guided BG to back-to-back state titles in 2021-22, will be an assistant. Simply put she and Santos, an assistant last spring, pulled the ol’ switch-a-roo.

“It was a role switch and we just kind of worked through that,” Santos said. “Leslie’s still here. It’s been great. I feel it’s a lot of the same. We all kind of work in tandem together. I’m excited for our partnership and work throughout the year. It’ll be a little different, but I think you’re going to see a lot of the same stuff with BG lacrosse.”

Santos is a Guertin alum of 2013, and played her college lacrosse at UMass Amherst as a scorer. While at UMass, she scored 101 goals and 40 assists in three seasons as part of a team that went 74-10 during that span with four Atlantic 10 regular season and tourney titles, with the four NCAA tourney appearances that go with that.

Her career at Guertin was just as prolific, as she had 211 goals with 133 assists and was a four-time All-Stater. She was an assistant on the Cards state title team in 2019. Offense is clearly her game, and she began her coaching career as the offensive coordinator at the University of Delaware for the 2018 season. She also coaches for the amateur program the New Hampshire Tomahawks, where a lot of local high school players play in the off-season.

“It’s a good opportunity, I’m an alum of the school, so it’s good as a coach coming into this environment,” she said. “It’s great to be here, watch the kids compete, and I’m just excited for a great year moving forward.”

After a stint as a UNH assistant, she returned to BG halfway through last season to help revive what had been a struggling offense while Why focused on the defense. It worked as the Cards made it all the way to the semis before falling short vs. Portsmouth.

“I think the big was come out here, be present, focus on what you can control, do the things you can,” Santos said. “Get excited for another year of awesome lacrosse.”

Santos said she felt fortunate to be able t start the campaign earlier this week at Stellos, rather than indoors or at some parking lot. Everything has gone according to schedule.

“Everybody’s here and working hard,” she said. “I’m very pleased with the group and excited to go through the tryout and get going.”

Santos is one of a few new head lacrosse coaches for the spring. In girls, Jen Dyer takes over at Nashua North, while Katie Todd, a former Merrimack captain, takes over at her alma mater. Hollis Brookline has a new boys head coach, Mac Martin.

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