| Virginia Cavaliers women's lacrosse | |
| Founded: | 1976 |
| University: | University of Virginia |
| Conference: | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Location: | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| Coach: | Sonia LaMonica |
| Tenure: | from 2023/2024 |
| Stadium: | Klöckner Stadium (capacity: 8000) |
| Nickname: | Cavaliers |
| Ncaa Champion: | 1991, 1993, 2004 |
| Ncaa Runner: | 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 |
| Ncaa Semi: | 1986, 1987, 1991–1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003–2005, 2007, 2014 |
| Ncaa Tourney: | 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990–1994, 1996–2019, 2021–2024 |
| Conf Tourney: | 1998, 2004, 2006–2008 |
| Conf Champion: | 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 |
The Virginia Cavaliers women's lacrosse team is an 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.
In its over 40-year history, Virginia has only had four head coaches: Linda Southworth, Jane Miller, Julie Myers, and Sonia LaMonica
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.[1] As of 2012, she is still coaching girls' JV lacrosse at St. Catherine's.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
Reference:[7]
Reference:[8]
Reference:[9]
| Record | Number | Player | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | 258 | Amy Appelt | 2001–05 | |
| Assists | 129 | Lindsay Sheehan | 1984–86 | |
| Points | 373 | Amy Appelt | 2001–05 | |
| Ground balls | 404 | Elaine Maddox | 1984–87 | |
| Draw controls | 287 | Brittany Kalkstein | 2007–10 | |
| Caused turnovers | 127 | Tiffany Schummer Kaitlin Duff | 2000–03 2007–10 | |
| Saves | 681 | Michelle Cusimano | 1993–97 | |
| Save % | .659 | Heather Dow | 1980–82 | |
| GAA | 5.12 | Kim Prendergast | 1990–93 |
| Record | Number | Player | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | 90 | Amy Appelt | 2004 | |
| Assists | 66 | Lindsay Sheehan | 1986 | |
| Points | 125 | Lindsay Sheehan | 1986 | |
| Ground balls | 108 | Elaine Maddox | 1986 | |
| Draw controls | 97 | Brittany Kalkstein | 2010 | |
| Caused turnovers | 56 | Samm Taylor | 1998 | |
| Saves | 225 | Michelle Cusimano | 1994 | |
| Save % | .741 | Heather Dow | 1981 | |
| GAA | 4.97 | Heather Dow | 1981 |
The Cavaliers have appeared in 35 NCAA tournaments. Their postseason record is 39–32.[10]
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | Semifinal | L, 7–12 | |||
| – | Quarterfinal Semifinal | W, 10–5 L, 9–14 | |||
| – | Quarterfinal | L, 5–6 | |||
| – | Quarterfinal | L, 7–13 | |||
| – | Semifinal Final | W, 10–5 W, 8–6 | |||
| – | Quarterfinal Semifinal | W, 11–5 L, 7–8 (ot) | |||
| – | Semifinal Final | W, 11–10 (ot) W, 8–6 (ot) | |||
| – | Quarterfinal Semifinal | W, 8–4 L, 13–14 (ot) | |||
| – | Quarterfinal Semifinal Final | W, 8–6 W, 8–6 L, 5–10 | |||
| – | Quarterfinal | L, 11–12 (ot) | |||
| Quarterfinal Semifinal Final | Princeton | W, 8–7 W, 10–7 L, 5–11 | ||
| Quarterfinal Semifinal Final | Dartmouth | W, 20–8 W, 9–8 L, 6–16 | ||
| – | First Round Quarterfinal | Boston U. | W, 13–10 L, 5–12 | ||
| First Round | L, 8–11 | |||
| – | First Round Quarterfinal | Temple | W, 20–8 L, 13–14 (2ot) | ||
| First Round Quarterfinal Semifinal Final | American Georgetown | W, 19–3 W, 16–9 W, 9–8 L, 7–8 (ot) | ||
| First Round Quarterfinal Semifinal Final | Mount St. Mary's Northwestern Georgetown | W, 19–2 W, 15–11 W, 12–9 W, 10–4 | ||
| First Round Quarterfinal Semifinal Final | Johns Hopkins | W, 10–8 W, 13–9 W, 15–13 L, 10–13 | ||
| First Round | L, 7–8 | |||
| First Round Quarterfinal Semifinal Final | Princeton | W, 19–10 W, 14–8 W, 14–13 L, 13–15 | ||
| First Round | L, 7–11 | |||
| – | First Round | L, 13–15 (ot) | |||
| First Round Quarterfinal | Towson | W, 14–12 L, 7–17 | ||
| – | First Round | L, 7–15 | |||
| – | First Round | L, 9–11 | |||
| – | First Round Second Round Quarterfinal | Penn | W, 12–6 W, 10–8 L, 9–13 | ||
| Second Round Quarterfinal Semifinal | Princeton | W, 13–11 W, 10–9 L, 8–16 | ||
| First Round Second Round | W, 18–6 L, 11–13 | |||
| – | First Round | L, 10–12 | |||
| – | First Round Second Round | Elon | W, 11–9 L, 12–23 | ||
| – | First Round Second Round | Stanford | W, 12–3 L, 12–15 | ||
| Second Round Quarterfinal | Navy | W, 15–12 L, 7–14 | ||
| -- | First Round Second Round | UConn | W, 19–13 L, 8–13 | ||
| -- | First Round Second Round | USC | W, 13–11 L, 2–24 | ||
| – | First Round | L, 14–16 |