Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse explained

Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse
Founded:2014
University:University of Michigan
Conference:Big Ten Conference
Location:Ann Arbor, Michigan
Coach:Hannah Nielsen
Tenure:7th
Stadium:U-M Lacrosse Stadium
Capacity:2,000
Nickname:Wolverines
Website:http://mgoblue.com/index.aspx?path=wlax
Ncaa Quarter:2024
Ncaa Tourney:2019, 2022, 2023, 2024

The Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse team is the intercollegiate women's lacrosse program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Wolverines play their home games in Ann Arbor, primarily at Michigan Stadium with the indoor Oosterbaan Field House as a secondary option. Women's lacrosse was established as a varsity sport in 2014, and the team played in the American Lacrosse Conference during its inaugural season before joining the Big Ten in 2015. The team is currently coached by Hannah Nielsen.

History

Prior to the establishment of its varsity program, women's lacrosse was a club sport at the University of Michigan. In 2011, the club team compiled a record of 15–6 under the direction of head coach Jen Dunbar.[1] On May 25, 2011, Michigan officially promoted its women's lacrosse team to varsity status, the same day that the school's varsity men's program was announced. Unlike the men's team, the women's team was not originally scheduled to begin play until 2013. In May 2011, the most pressing priorities for the new women's program were the search for its first head coach and its application for membership in the American Lacrosse Conference, which counted among its members other Big Ten schools such as Northwestern, Ohio State, and Penn State, as well as more distant institutions such as Florida, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt.[2]

In 2014, Michigan played its inaugural varsity season as a member of the American Lacrosse Conference under head coach Jennifer Ulehla.[3] Prior to being named head coach on September 8, 2011, Uleha had been an assistant coach at Florida and with the U.S. National Elite Team as well as an assistant coach at Temple and James Madison.[4] The program's first official varsity game was at Villanova on February 22, while its home opener was against Marquette on February 28 at Oosterbaan Field House.[5] On June 3, 2013, the Big Ten Conference announced that it would begin sponsoring women's lacrosse in 2015; together with men's lacrosse, which would debut the same season, they would respectively be the conference's 27th and 28th official sports. Alongside Michigan, the five other teams competing in the new conference included Maryland, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, and Rutgers.[6] As of 2015, head coach Uleha's coaching staff consists of assistant coaches Becca Block and Alyssa Murray.[7]

Coaching staff

NamePosition coachedConsecutive season at
Michigan in current position
7th
Ana Heneberry Assistant coach 7th
Casey Pearsall Assistant coach 2nd
Nora Boerger Assistant coach 1st
Reference:[8]

Season results

The following is a list of Michigan's season results as an NCAA Division I program:

Notes and References

  1. News: Michigan Elevates Men’s, Women’s Lacrosse Teams to Varsity Level. Kercheval. Nancy. May 26, 2011. Bloomberg Business. April 23, 2015.
  2. News: Michigan adds men's and women's lacrosse to varsity lineup. Nesbitt. Stephen J.. May 25, 2011. The Michigan Daily. April 23, 2015.
  3. Web site: Women's Lacrosse: Eight Home Contests Highlight Michigan's Inaugural Schedule. August 1, 2013. April 23, 2015. MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan.
  4. Web site: Jennifer Ulehla. April 23, 2015. MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan.
  5. News: Despite golden moments, women's lacrosse falls to Golden Eagles in inaugural home game. Shaw. Zach. March 1, 2014. The Michigan Daily. April 23, 2015.
  6. Web site: Big Ten Announces Institution of Men's and Women's Lacrosse and Addition of Johns Hopkins as Men's Lacrosse Sport Affiliate Member. June 3, 2013. April 23, 2015. BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. https://web.archive.org/web/20130710234815/http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-lacros/spec-rel/060313aah.html. July 10, 2013. dead.
  7. Web site: 2015 Michigan Women's Lacrosse Coaching Staff. 2015. April 23, 2015. MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan.
  8. Web site: Michigan Wolverines Women's Lacrosse Coaches . MGoBlue.com . Board of Regents of the University of Michigan . 29 May 2024.