The IWLCA’s Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) is excited to announce the addition of Champions Chat presented by Brine to the lineup for the IWLCA Convention and Coaches Clinic powered by Just Play. This unique panel discussion will be held on Thursday, December 10 at 7:00 pm ET and will feature five lacrosse luminaries that are the current reigning champions of the most recent NCAA and international championships.
Jess Slater, category manager for Brine Lacrosse, said, “We are excited to partner with the IWLCA for this year’s virtual coaches’ clinic. It’s a tremendous opportunity to be able to collaborate and work with an organization like the IWLCA to support the education and growth of our sport at all levels.”
The head coaches from the three 2019 NCAA championship winning teams, Cathy Reese, Pat McCabe, and Kate Livesay, along with former US Lacrosse National Team head coach, Ricky Fried, who led the United States to the 2013 and 2017 World Cup championships, and Marie McCool, who won championships as a member of the 2017 United States team, and the 2018 University of North Carolina women’s lacrosse team, will participate in the panel. This moderated discussion will cover topics including team building, managing challenges and setbacks during the course of a season, and staying motivated after “winning it all,” and is sure to offer great insight into the champion’s mindset.
“Brine has been a long-term partner and supporter of the IWLCA and our initiatives,” according to Liz Robertshaw, Executive Director of the IWLCA. “I was not surprised that they wanted to help us bring the first-ever Champions Chat event to fruition knowing their commitment to excellence in the women’s game. I think this panel discussion among champion coaches and players will be a great way to cap off the 2020 IWLCA Convention and Coaches Clinic powered by Just Play!”
Panelist Bios
Cathy Reese, University of Maryland
Cathy Reese led her Maryland team to the NCAA Division I title in 2019, as the Terrapins won their 15th National Championship and fifth under Reese. Reese was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the fourth year in a row in 2019, became Maryland lacrosse’s all-time winningest coach, and was selected for induction into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame and the DC Sports Hall of Fame.
Pat McCabe, Adelphi University
In 2019 Pat McCabe led his team back to the National Championship, earning the program’s ninth NCAA Division II title and second of his career. The team went 12-1 in Northeast-10 Conference play and 19-3 overall. They earned their spot in the championship game on the heels of McCabe’s 100th career win (a 17-10 victory over undefeated Regis University).
Kate Livesay, Middlebury College
Livesay guided the Panthers to the program’s second NCAA Championship in four years and seventh overall in 2019. Middlebury finished the spring on a 22-game winning streak, tying a program single-season record 22 wins (22-1). The Panthers claimed their 10th overall NESCAC Championship after earning the top seed in the NESCAC Tournament following a 9-1 record in league action.
Ricky Fried, Team USA and Georgetown University
Fried was named the head coach of the U.S. Women's Lacrosse Elite Team in August 2009. He led Team USA to an undefeated gold medal in 2013 at the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Cup in Oshawa, Ontario, his second World Cup gold after winning in the summer of 2009 as an assistant in Prague, Czech Republic. He won his final two gold medals in the summer of 2017 at the FIL World Cup in Guildford, England and the X World Games in Wroclaw, Poland. Fried has served as the head coach at Georgetown University since 2005. Under Fried, Georgetown has earned seven BIG EAST regular season titles, made six trips to the BIG EAST Championship Game, winning in 2010 and 2019, and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament nine times, reaching the quarterfinals twice.
Marie McCool, Team USA and University of North Carolina
Marie McCool was named the 2018 ACC Midfielder of the Year and is two-time Tewaaraton Award finalist. The midfielder was also a two-time Honda Award nominee and a three-time IWLCA first-team All-American. She led North Carolina and set a new program mark in draw controls with a career-high 165 in 2018. McCool led UNC in ground balls, caused turnovers, and game winning goals, while finishing third in assists and points. She was a member of the 2017 US Lacrosse World Cup team playing in England in July 2017, one of two college players on the squad.
Registration information for the IWLCA Coaches Clinic powered by Just Play is available online at the link below.