Virginia Cavaliers women's lacrosse


The Virginia Cavaliers women's lacrosse team is a NCAA Division I college lacrosse team representing the University of Virginia as part of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They play their home games at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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, before taking the position at Virginia. In her eight-year tenure, the team went 58-37-5. She guided the program into the NCAA 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 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, 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 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

Coach of the Year

Reference:

Player of the Year

Reference:
RecordNumberPlayerYears
Goals258Amy Appelt2001-05
Assists129Lindsay Sheehan1984-86
Points373Amy Appelt2001-05
Ground balls404Elaine Maddox1984-87
Draw controls287Brittany Kalkstein2007-10
Caused turnovers127Tiffany Schummer
Kaitlin Duff
2000-03
2007-10
Saves681Michelle Cusimano1993-97
Save %.659Heather Dow1980-82
GAA5.12Kim Prendergast1990-93

Individual single-season records

Seasons

Postseason Results

The Cavaliers have appeared in 31 NCAA tournaments. Their postseason record is 36-28.
YearSeedRoundOpponentScore
1986--SemifinalMarylandL, 7-12
1987--Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Maryland
Penn State
W, 10-5
L, 9-14
1989--QuarterfinalPrincetonL, 5-6
1990--QuarterfinalLoyola L, 7-13
1991--Semifinal
Final
Penn State
Maryland
W, 10-5
W, 8-6
1992--Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Penn State
Maryland
W, 11-5
L, 7-8
1993--Semifinal
Final
Harvard
Princeton
W, 11-10
W, 8-6
1994--Quarterfinal
Semifinal
William & Mary
Princeton
W, 8-4
L, 13-14
1996--Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final
William & Mary
Loyola
Maryland
W, 8-6
W, 8-6
L, 5-10
1997--QuarterfinalNorth CarolinaL, 11-12
1998#1Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final
Princeton
  1. 4 Dartmouth
  2. 3 Maryland
W, 8-7W, 10-7
L, 5-11
1999#2Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final
Dartmouth
  1. 3 Duke
  2. 1 Maryland
W, 20-8W, 9-8
L, 6-16
2000--First Round
Quarterfinal
Boston U.
  1. 3 James Madison
W, 13-10L, 5-12
2001#8First Round#9 James MadisonL, 8-11
2002--First Round
Quarterfinal
Temple
  1. 3 North Carolina
W, 20-8L, 13-14
2003#3First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final
American
Georgetown
  1. 2 Maryland
Princeton
W, 19-3
W, 16-9
W, 9-8
L, 7-8
2004#2First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final
Mount St. Mary's
Northwestern
Georgetown
  1. 1 Princeton
W, 19-2W, 15-11
W, 12-9
W, 10-4
2005#6First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final
Johns Hopkins
  1. 3 Boston U.
  2. 2 Duke
  3. 1 Northwestern
W, 10-8W, 13-9
W, 15-13
L, 10-13
2006#2First RoundPrincetonL, 7-8
2007#3First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final
Princeton
  1. 6 North Carolina
  2. 2 Duke
  3. 1 Northwestern
W, 19-10W, 14-8
W, 14-13
L, 13-15
2008#4First RoundNorth CarolinaL, 7-11
2009--First Round#5 DukeL, 13-15
2010#6First Round
Quarterfinal
Towson
  1. 3 North Carolina
W, 14-12L, 7-17
2011--First Round#3 North CarolinaL, 7-15
2012--First Round#7 DukeL, 9-11
2013--First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinal
Penn
  1. 6 Georgetown
  2. 3 North Carolina
W, 12-6W, 10-8
L, 9-13
2014#6Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Princeton
  1. 3 North Carolina
  2. 2 Syracuse
W, 13-11W, 10-9
L, 8-16
2015#7First Round
Second Round
Winthrop
Penn State
W, 18-6
L, 11-13
2016--First RoundJohns HopkinsL, 10-12
2017--First Round
Second Round
Elon
  1. 2 North Carolina
W, 11-9L, 12-23
2018--First Round
Second Round
Stanford
  1. 3 James Madison
W, 12-3L, 12-15