[Kutztown Press Release] KU WOMEN'S LACROSSE READY FOR RETURN TO ACTION

[Leiboff, Joshua]

March 12, 2008

KU WOMEN'S LACROSSE READY FOR RETURN TO ACTION

KUTZTOWN, Pa. - Kutztown University's women's lacrosse team will officially return to intercollegiate varsity action for the first time in 18 years on Thursday when the Golden Bears travel to Millersville to begin the 2008 season.

            The game is set for a 4 p.m. start at MU's Biemesderfer Stadium.  Kutztown's first home game is Monday, March 17, at Keystone Field, where KU's soccer teams also call home.  KU will take on East Stroudsburg, beginning at 4 p.m.

            Women's lacrosse returns to KU this season after an 18-year hiatus.  KU sponsored a women's lacrosse program from 1976-90.  The program was discontinued after the 1990 season.  In February 2007, the university announced that lacrosse along with women's bowling would be added to the school's roster of varsity sports for the 2007-08 school year.

            Back in the prime of the women's lacrosse program's history, the mid-1980s, the Golden Bears were a force to be reckoned with in the early stages of women's lacrosse in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. KU appeared in the PSAC Championship game three-straight seasons, from 1982-84, winning the title in '82 and finishing as runners up in '83 and '84.

            The 2008 season will be one for building a foundation for the future of the program.

            Since the rebirth of the program was announced in February 2007, it has been a whirlwind year.  Sarah Greer, a 2002 graduate of Kutztown, was introduced as the new head coach in June.   With limited time to recruit and build a team for 2008, Greer went right work putting together a squad to take the field this spring.

            Making up this season's roster will be players who have played other varsity sports at KU, such as field hockey and soccer, as well as 10 players from the school's club lacrosse team. Additionally, two freshmen are on the roster.

            Leading the squad this year will be tri-captains and veteran members of the Kutztown University club team in senior Liz Lawrence (sr. Oreland/Springfield) and juniors Amanda Steczak (jr. Coatesville/Coatesville) and Meredith Thomas (jr. Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin).

            "My teammates and I are all very excited to bring the team back to NCAA status,"  Steczak said.  "We're thrilled to have the opportunity to regain the glory days of Kutztown women's lacrosse."

            Greer expects Thomas and Lawrence to start at two of the three attack spots, along with Kelly Lynch (fr. Lititz/Manheim Twp.).  Jennifer Natalini (so. Pottstown/Pottsgrove) and Carrie Healey (so. Toms River, N.J./Toms River North) are slated to start at the attack wings, while Janice Kinney (so. Spring City/Own J. Roberts) and Jackie Toutkoushian (jr. Doylestown/Central Bucks East) will get the nod at defense wings.  Megan Tigue (so. Coatesville/Coatesville) will start at center.  The two starting defenders will be Steczak and Justine Simonsen (fr. Hatboro/Upper Moreland), while Alyson Iovacchini (so. East Stroudsburg/East Stroudsburg South) will start at goalkeeper.

            The squad will play this season as an NCAA Division II Independent, and will face off against three other independents (Seton Hill, Wilmington, Georgian Court), three Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams (Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Slippery Rock), East Coast Conference opponent (Philadelphia) as well as one Division III Skyline Conference member (Kean).

            In 2009, KU will join the PSAC along with Mercyhurst and Gannon to form an 11-team conference, which would tie the Northeast 10 as the largest Division II lacrosse conference in the country.



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Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
Website: http://www.kubears.com
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