IWLCA Announces Coaches of the Year

from press releases

The IWLCA has honored eleven colleagues with their selections as coaches of the year, including three individuals who were named the National Coach of the Year for their respective divisions. Lauren Paul from Franklin & Marshall, Joe Spallina from Adelphi, and Kelly Amonte Hiller from Northwestern, each of whom led their teams to national titles in 2009, were tabbed as the national coaches of the Year.

Paul, who inherited a team that won the 2007 NCAA title and were the 2008 runners-up, led her alma mater to the 2009 title with an 11-10 overtime win over Salisbury, the only team to defeat the Diplomats in 2009. Paul coached the Dips to a 21-1 record that included the Centennial regular season and tournament titles. Franklin & Marshall ended the season ranked third in scoring defense (7.05 gapg).

Spallina, in his second year with the Panthers, also led his alma mater to the NCAA championship as Adelphi went 18-0 in 2009. The ECC regular season champions, Adelphi led the nation in scoring offense with over 19 goals per game (19.61)  and led the nation in scoring defense, allowing less than five goals per game (4.78). The Panthers ranked second nationally in caused turnovers per game (14.50).

Amonte Hiller guided the Wildcats to an undefeated season that culminated in the 2009 national championship, the fifth consecutive title for Northwestern. The former World Champion has a 21-1 record in the NCAA Tournament, the top winning percentage in history. The 2009 'Cats set the national records for points (570), boasting an offense that ranked first in the country, scoring 17.70 goals per game.

At the other end of the field, Northwestern boasted a scoring defense that allowed only 6.87 goals per game, second in the nation. The 'Cats won 14 games by ten goals or more and also led the nation in draw controls (389) and were the only school to average more than 16 draw controls per game.

2009 IWLCA Coaches of the Year
Division III
National Coach of the Year: Lauren Paul, Franklin & Marshall

Regional honorees:
New England: Karen MacCrate Henning, Colby
New York: Patty Kloidt, Hamilton
Metro: Lauren Paul, Franklin & Marshall
South Atlantic: Jim Nestor, Salisbury
West: Liz Ford, Wooster

Division II
National Coach of the Year: Joe Spallina, Adelphi

Regional honorees:
North: Joe Spallina, Adelphi
South: Kristen Selvage, Lock Haven

Division I
National Coach of the Year: Kelly Amonte Hiller, Northwestern

Regional honorees:
Northeast: Mike Waldvogel, Fairfield
Mid-Atlantic: Karin Brower, Penn
South: Cathy Reese, Maryland
West: Kelly Amonte Hiller, Northwestern