Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/26/12
From Press Release
Michele DeJuliis and Kelly Munroe have stepped down as assistant coaches of the Princeton women’s lacrosse team. DeJuliis has been the top assistant for the last eight years under Hall of Fame head coach Chris Sailer, while Munroe has been the second assistant for the last two years.
“Princeton’s a very special place and I’m honored to have been here for eight years,” said DeJuliis, owner of the Ultimate Goal club team. “I want to thank Gary Walters and Chris Sailer for giving me access to such exemplary student-athletes and for entrusting me with their collegiate experience, both on the field and off. I will remain a fan of Princeton.”
DeJuliis helped Princeton to an 88-51 record in her six years. The Tigers boasted an Ivy League record of 41-15 during that time and made the NCAA Tournament five of those seven years, reaching the quarterfinal round all five of those seasons. A member of the US National Team program since 1994, DeJuliis won the 2009 FIL World Cup as team captain. She was named the IWLCA Assistant Coach of the Year this past November.
“DJ has left her mark on Princeton lacrosse with her passion for the game, her incredible pedigree in the sport and her dedication to and love of each individual player,” Sailer said. “She has faithfully served me, the players, Princeton and this program for the past eight years, which is one of the longest current assistant coaching tenures in Division I. We’ll all miss DJ, but I respect her desire for a change and am just so appreciative of the time we had with her.”
Munroe is exploring her career opportunities and looks for a fresh start in the health services industry.
“At this point I’ve made a personal decision to explore other opportunities and careers outside of Princeton,” Munroe said. “My best wishes to the lacrosse program and the university as a whole. I’ve had two incredible years and would like to thank the Princeton community for all the opportunities I’ve been given.”
In her two seasons at Princeton, Munroe helped to guide the Tigers to a 20-14 overall record. The team won the 2011 Ivy League Tournament and reached the NCAA quarterfinals the same year.
A national search for their replacements will be conducted.
“DJ and Kelly were great assistants coaches, and I wish them all the best as they approach a new chapter in their lives,” Sailer said. “As tough as it is to replace both of them at once, experience tells me that change brings opportunity. I’m excited to get the search process underway, and I’m confident that we’ll identify two wonderful new coaches who will do great things for this program and for whom our team will love to play.”
