IWLCA Names 2017 Coaches of the Year in Division I, II, and III

14 Mentors Recognized

The IWLCA has named the 2017 National and Regional Coaches of the Year in Division I, II, and III. All three National Coaches of the Year led their teams to the NCAA Championship game in 2017. The organization also named its Regional Coaches of the Year in each division. All winners will be honored at the IWLCA Honors Banquet held on November 15 during the IWLCA Annual Meetings at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Florida.

IWLCA National Coach of the Year – Division I
Acacia Walker, Boston College

In a year when many thought the Eagles would be rebuilding, Boston College head coach Acacia Walker led her team to its best season in program history. The Eagles made their second-ever appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals and followed that up by reaching their first NCAA Championship game in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to defeat Navy 16-15. After a regular season road loss at No. 1 Maryland on March 8, Boston College posted a 11-4 record, including a program record four NCAA victories in a row. Despite falling to Maryland by a 16-13 score in the NCAA title game, junior attacker Kenzie Kent was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after posting 37 points (a new tournament record), including 10 in the Championship game, to become the first player to earn the honor from a team that did not win the Championship.

IWLCA National Coach of the Year – Division II
Pat McCabe, Adelphi University

In his third year at the helm of the Panthers, McCabe guided them to their second national title in three years, and the program's eighth overall. Adelphi won its fourth straight Northeast-10 Championship crown, avenging a regular-season loss to Le Moyne - its lone loss of the year - in both the NE10 title game and the Division II Final Four. Adelphi recorded a 6-4 win in the national championship game over Florida Southern on the campus of Bloomsburg University, in a rematch of the national title game of 2016. After a 21-1 season, McCabe's Panthers have posted a record of 63-3 over his three seasons.

IWLCA National Coach of the Year – Division III
Carol Cantele, Gettysburg College

In her 25th year at the helm, Cantele guided the Bullets to 21-3 record and their second NCAA Division III Championship. Gettysburg defeated eight of the top 14 ranked teams during the course of the season, including two wins over the number one team (Franklin & Marshall and The College of New Jersey). The Bullets finished runner-up in the Centennial Conference Championship following an incredible double-overtime loss to Franklin & Marshall. Gettysburg qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship for the 16th consecutive season and never looked back en route to a 6-5 win over TCNJ in the title game. Cantele coached seven All-Centennial Conference performers, and mentored four IWLCA All-Metro Region selections. Cantele became just the fourth women’s lacrosse coach in NCAA history to reach 400 wins with a 10-2 Regional Championship win over Salisbury.

Mid Atlantic Region
Joe Spallina – Stony Brook University

Joe Spallina led Stony Brook to new heights in 2017, as the Seawolves posted a program-best 20-2 record and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in program history. Stony Brook had the nation's top scoring defense for the fourth time in the last five seasons under Spallina's guidance, while the Seawolves also recorded the nation's No. 3 scoring offense and a nation-leading 10.09 assists per game. Spallina coached four IWLCA All-Americans in 2017, including Tewaaraton finalist Kylie Ohlmiller, who broke the Division I single-season points (164) and assists (86) records, and Tewaaraton nominee Dorrien Van Dyke. The Seawolves won six games over ranked opponents in 2017 while reaching as high as No. 3 in the national polls.

Northeast Region
Acacia Walker – Boston College

In a year when many thought the Eagles would be rebuilding, Boston College head coach Acacia Walker led her team to its best season in program history. The Eagles made their second-ever appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals and followed that up by reaching their first NCAA Championship game in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to defeat Navy 16-15. After a regular season road loss at No. 1 Maryland on March 8, Boston College posted a 11-4 record, including a program record four NCAA victories in a row. Despite falling to Maryland by a 16-13 score in the NCAA title game, junior attacker Kenzie Kent was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after posting 37 points (a new tournament record), including 10 in the Championship game, to become the first player to earn the honor from a team that did not win the Championship.

South Region
Cindy Timchal – United States Naval Academy

Cindy completed her 10th year as the head coach of the Navy women’s lacrosse program this season, and the Midshipmen made history in 2017. The Mids (18-5, 8-1 Patriot League) won the 2017 Patriot League Tournament Championship, earning the fifth NCAA Tournament bid in the 10-year history of the program. The Mids defeated Penn, 11-10, then advanced to their first-ever NCAA Quarterfinals with a 23-11 win over UMass. In the quarterfinals, Navy defeated No. 2 seed and defending National Champion North Carolina, 16-14, in Chapel Hill to advance to the program’s first ever Final Four. Navy is the third team that Timchal has taken to the NCAA Quarterfinals and the second team the legendary coach has guided to the Final Four.

West/Midwest Region
Ann Elliott - University of Colorado

In just four short years, Colorado head coach Ann Elliott has taken a program that didn’t exist, to a program that reached the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Elliott’s Buffs had a record-setting 2017 campaign. The season opened with CU’s first win over a ranked opponent, defeating No. 9 Northwestern 11-10 in overtime, which launched them into the polls for the first time in program history. The Buffs went on to collect three more victories over ranked teams during the course of the season. They started the campaign with 11 straight wins, a CU record, and were a perfect 8-0 in Boulder. During that time, the Buffs climbed to No. 4 in all three major polls and were one of two unbeaten teams in the NCAA at the end of March. Colorado ended the season with a 16-4 record, suffering a first round loss in its first NCAA Tournament, setting CU single-season record for wins.

North Region
Pat McCabe - Adelphi University

In his third year at the helm of the Panthers, McCabe guided them to their second national title in three years, and the program's eighth overall. Adelphi won its fourth straight Northeast-10 Championship crown, avenging a regular-season loss to Le Moyne - its lone loss of the year - in both the NE10 title game and the Division II Final Four. Adelphi recorded a 6-4 win in the national championship game over Florida Southern on the campus of Bloomsburg University, in a rematch of the national title game of 2016. After a 21-1 season, McCabe's Panthers have posted a record of 63-3 over his three seasons.

South Region
Jack Cribbin – Lindenwood University

Jack Cribbin led Lindenwood to its first perfect regular season in school history, and the program set a school record in wins. The Lady Lions won the RMAC with a perfect record, and advanced to the NCAA Semifinals for the fourth straight season. Lindenwood was ranked seventh in the nation in both scoring offense and scoring defense, and set a program record for GAA. Eleven players earned all-conference honors, including the Offensive, Defensive, Goalie, and Freshman of the Year, and Jack Cribbin was the RMAC co-coach of the year. Cribbin also coached eight players to IWLCA All-Region accolades.

Berkshire Region
Kim Williams - Wesleyan University

Kim Williams was named the 2017 NESCAC Coach of the Year after guiding Wesleyan University to its best season in program history, in just her second year at the helm of the program. The Cardinals finished 11-6 overall and 7-3 in the conference, setting program records for overall wins and conference victories. They qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for the first time since 2009, and earned an NCAA Division III Tournament bid for the first time in program history. All six losses were by teams ranked in the top-20, with two occurring in overtime.

Boardwalk Region
Sharon Pfluger - The College of New Jersey

Pfluger led TCNJ to a tremendous season in 2017. The Lions posted an overall record of 18-1, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. TCNJ captured its seventh straight NJAC title and went on to win an NCAA regional championship and advance to the NCAA national championship match. Pflguer was named NJAC Coach of the Year and had two players earn IWLCA First Team All-American honors.

Chesapeake Region
Brooke Diamond O’Brien – Washington and Lee University

O’Brien led the Generals to one of the best seasons in school history. W&L produced five wins over ranked opponents this season, including wins over then-ranked No. 4 Franklin & Marshall (9-3), then-ranked No. 7 Salisbury (6-5) and then-ranked No. 5 Catholic (18-3). W&L ranked second nationally with an average of 4.14 goals allowed per game. The Generals rode a 15-game winning streak into the NCAA Semi-Finals, finishing the season at 19-2. O’Brien has won nine Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championships in her 10 seasons at W&L.

Empire Region
Anne Phillips – William Smith College

Phillips guided William Smith to a 20-2 overall record, including a 9-0 mark in the Liberty League. During a program record 17-game winning streak, her Herons captured their second straight conference regular season and tournament championships and shattered the program record for wins in a season. William Smith advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time since 2003. Two Herons were voted to the IWLCA All-America first team, the first time William Smith has had two first team picks since 2004. The 2017 Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year mentored the 2017 Liberty League Player of the Year and 2017 Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year as well as a league-high six All-Liberty League first team selections.

Great Lakes Region
Lynda McCandlish - Oberlin College

The North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, McCandlish led the Oberlin women’s lacrosse team a 14-2 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the NCAC, tying school records for both the overall and conference wins in a season. McCandlish took the Yeowomen to the NCAC Championship match for the second time in three seasons, finishing as runner-ups to Denison University, which was the only school to beat Oberlin this year. In 2017, seven of her players earned All-NCAC accolades, including NCAC Defensive Player of the Year Alexa L’Insalata. Four of her players earned first-team honors, while Oberlin also placed four on the IWLCA all-region team.

Metro Region
Carol Cantele - Gettysburg College

In her 25th year at the helm, Cantele guided the Bullets to 21-3 record and their second NCAA Division III Championship. Gettysburg defeated eight of the top 14 ranked teams during the course of the season, including two wins over the number one team (Franklin & Marshall and The College of New Jersey). The Bullets finished runner-up in the Centennial Conference Championship following an incredible double-overtime loss to Franklin & Marshall. Gettysburg qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship for the 16th consecutive season and never looked back en route to a 6-5 win over TCNJ in the title game. Cantele coached seven All-Centennial Conference performers, and mentored four IWLCA All-Metro Region selections. Cantele became just the fourth women’s lacrosse coach in NCAA history to reach 400 wins with a 10-2 Regional Championship win over Salisbury.

Pilgrim Region
Karen Henning - Colby College

Colby College's Karen Henning won her third NESCAC title in 10 years with the Mules and made the championship game for the sixth time. After getting off to a 2-3 overall start and an 0-2 record in the NESCAC, Henning and her team won 13 straight games to earn a tie with three other teams for the top spot in the NESCAC regular season standings. The Mules had to beat three NCAA teams (Trinity, Middlebury, and Wesleyan) to win the NESCAC championship. Henning is 135-47 (74 percent) in her 10 seasons at Colby and has a 238-68 (78 percent) overall record. 

West Region
Susan Stuart Elliott - Colorado College

Colorado College’s first and only varsity head coach, Stuart guided Colorado College to a 15-5 record in 2017, which tied the program record for victories in single-season. Her 23-year career record now stands at 239-115-1 (.675). Stuart also led CC to its ninth NCAA Tournament appearance and now owns a 9-9 postseason record after defeating Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (15-12) and falling to No. 6 William Smith College (18-13). In 2017 the Tigers ranked first in the nation in draw controls, second in scoring offense and points per game, and ninth in scoring margin. Junior attacker Steph Kelly and senior midfielder Mary Taussig were named second-team All-Americans by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association.