Tewaaraton Winner McFadden Joins Florida Staff

from press release

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Caitlyn McFadden, the current two-time ACC Player of the Year and the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, has been named assistant lacrosse coach at the University of Florida, head coach Amanda O’Leary announced Tuesday.

“I want to thank head coach Mandee O'Leary for giving me the opportunity to become a part of the Florida women's lacrosse program and one of the top athletic departments in the country,” McFadden said. “I am honored to be a part of this young program which has already experienced tremendous success and so excited to work with its very talented players and coaches.”

McFadden will be involved in all aspects of the Gator lacrosse program.

“We are thrilled to welcome Caitlyn to our staff,” O’Leary said. “She is one of the most decorated players in the history of collegiate lacrosse and to have someone of her caliber join our program speaks to the quality of Florida athletics.”

McFadden is coming off a highly decorated career with the 2010 National Champion Maryland Terrapins. In her senior season, she was named the Tewaaraton Award Winner and Honda Sports Award Winner (and was a finalist for both awards in 2009), the ACC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP (also won both conference awards in 2009), IWLCA National Midfielder of the Year, and the Suzanne Tyler Award winner, which is awarded to the University of Maryland Female Athlete of the Year. She was also a two-time IWLCA First-Team All-American in her final two years
as a Terp and IWLCA Second-Team All-American in her sophomore year.

McFadden served as the captain for the Terrapins in her junior and senior seasons. She is also a member of the United States Women’s Lacrosse National Team, having won a gold medal at the 2009 FIL World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic.

“As a player, I was fortunate enough to be part of a National Championship team and I know the amount of dedication and hard work that it takes to get there,” McFadden said. “I can't wait to share that experience with the Florida players and translate to them what it takes to be successful both on the field and in the classroom.”

McFadden found the perfect balance of that success in her time at Maryland, being named the ACC Women’s Lacrosse Scholar Athlete of the Year in her junior and senior seasons, and the University of Maryland Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in her senior season. She was also named to the All-ACC Academic Team, ACC Honor Roll, and the University of Maryland Dean’s List each of her years at Maryland.

“Caitlyn’s numerous athletic and academic accolades not only speak to her abilities as a lacrosse player, but also as a person. She will be an incredible influence on our young ladies,” O’Leary added. “Her success in her collegiate career and with the National Team adds to the strength of this program and our outlook for the future.”

McFadden has been honing her coaching abilities every summer since 2007, working as an instructor for Elevate Lacrosse Camps and Maximum Exposure Lacrosse Camps. She also conducts camps along with her National Team cohorts across the country, teaching youth about lacrosse and the National Team.

The Phoenix, Md. native finished her career with 149 goals and 110 assists for 259 total points. McFadden left the Terrapins as the sixth-leading scorer in program history, having started every game of her collegiate career.