The Virginia Cavaliers women's lacrosse team is an
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...
college lacrosse
College lacrosse is played by student-athletes at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In both countries, men's field lacrosse and women's lacrosse are played at both the varsity and club levels. College lacrosse in Canada is ...
team representing the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
as part of the
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
. They play their home games at
Klöckner Stadium
Klöckner Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium located on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. The stadium is home to the Virginia Cavaliers's Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer, men's and Virginia Cavaliers wome ...
in
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...
.
History
In its over 40-year history, Virginia has only had three head coaches: Linda Southworth, Jane Miller, and Julie Myers.
Linda Southworth era (1976-83)
Linda Southworth was hired as the Cavaliers' first head coach in 1975, with the first team fielded the following year. She had been a part of
Longwood's first women's lacrosse team, then taught and coached at
Huguenot High School
Huguenot High School, part of the Richmond Public Schools system, is a high school located in Richmond, Virginia, United States, with grades 9–12.
Huguenot High School was named in honor of the Huguenots, French Protestants who emigrated to th ...
, before taking the position at Virginia. In her eight-year tenure, the team went 58-37-5. She guided the program into the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
era, and during her time in Charlottesville, she also coached field hockey at UVa and started a local girls' middle school lacrosse league. After leaving the University of Virginia, she became the
Athletics Director
An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and r ...
at
St. Catherine's School in Richmond. In 2005 she was inducted into the Virginia Lacrosse Hall of Fame. As of 2012, she is still coaching girls' JV lacrosse at St. Catherine's.
Jane Miller era (1984-95)
In 1984, Jane Miller was hired as the program's second coach. Miller was a 1973 graduate of
Northeastern University
Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...
, where she had been a standout in basketball, field hockey, and lacrosse. In her twelve seasons, Miller compiled a record of 145-44, including six final fours and national championships in 1991 and 1993. She was awarded the IWLCA Coach of the Year in 1991 for her efforts in bringing home the program's first national title. She left after the 1995 season to accept a full-time administrative role. The next year, she was inducted into the Virginia Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and was also voted into the U.S. Lacrosse National Hall of Fame in 2003. Since 2001, she has served as the senior associate director of athletics for programs and senior woman administrator. In 2014 she was appointed to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors.
Julie Myers era (1996-)
Julie Myers, a 1990 graduate of Virginia, returned to her alma mater six years later to assume the head coaching position. She has led the Cavaliers to a postseason berth in all 22 of her seasons in Charlottesville, a feat unmatched by any other coach at the Division I level. Virginia's 22 straight appearances are also the second-most behind Maryland. As of the conclusion of the 2018 season, Myers has led the Cavs to a 30-22 postseason record and the 2004 national title, in addition to championship game appearances in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. The Cavaliers have been ranked in the IWLCA Coaches' Poll for all but four weeks of Myers' tenure. In 2017, Myers won her 300th game, becoming just the fourth Division I coach to reach that mark.
In 2010, the women's lacrosse program garnered national attention after one of its players, Yeardley Love, was
beaten to death
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the act of creating apprehension of such contact.
Battery is a specific common law offense, although the term is used more generally to refer t ...
by her ex-boyfriend,
men's lacrosse player George Huguely, on May 3. Huguely was arrested later that day and charged with second-degree murder. He was sentenced to prison in 2012 and is scheduled to be released in 2029. In September 2010, Love's family created the One Love Foundation, which aims to raise awareness about relationship violence.
Awards
Reference:
NCAA awards
National Hall of Fame
*Julie Williams - 2002
*Heather Dow - 2002
*Jane Miller - 2003
*Cherie Greer - 2009
*Bonnie Rosen - 2010
NCAA Woman of the Year
*Peggy Boutilier - 1998
Honda Sports Award
*Amy Appelt - 2003-04
NCAA Top VIII
*Peggy Boutilier - 1999
Tewaaraton Trophy
*Amy Appelt - 2004
NCAA Elite 89 Award
*Courtney Swan - 2014
IWLCA awards
Coach of the Year
*Jane Miller - 1991
*Julie Myers - 2004
Assistant Coach of the Year
*Colleen Shearer - 2010
Offensive Player of the Year
*Jenny Slingluff - 1992
*Amy Appelt - 2004
Defensive Player of the Year
*Robyn Nye - 1991
*Cherie Greer - 1994
*Peggy Boutilier - 1997, 1998
Goalkeeper of the Year
*Michelle Cusimano - 1995, 1996
ACC awards
Reference:
Player of the Year
*Peggy Boutilier - 1998
*Amy Appelt - 2004
Freshman of the Year
*Amy Fromal - 1997
*Mills Hook - 1998
*Caitlin Banks - 2001
*Amy Appelt - 2002
*Blair Weymouth - 2006
*Brittany Kalkstein - 2007
*Rachel Vander Kolk - 2015
Coach of the Year
*Julie Myers - 2002, 2008
Tournament MVP
*Kara Ariza - 1998
*Ashleigh Haas - 2004
*Tyler Leachman - 2006
*Kendall McBrearty - 2007, 2008
Individual career records
Reference:
Individual single-season records
Seasons
Postseason Results
The Cavaliers have appeared in 31 NCAA tournaments. Their postseason record is 36-28.
References
External links
Team page
{{University of Virginia
Lacrosse teams in Virginia
1976 establishments in Virginia
Lacrosse clubs established in 1976