Radnor grad Lieb named as assistant coach at California

Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/16/09

Former Virginia All-American and 2009 U.S. World Cup alternate Nikki Lieb – a former scholastic all-American at Radnor High – was hired as an assistant coach for the California lacrosse program.

Golden Bears head coach Theresa Sherry announced the hiring this week. Lieb, a finalist for the 2006 Tewaaraton Trophy as a senior, led Virginia to the 2004 NCAA championship and earned three first-team All-American honors (2004-06) as a Cavalier.

“We are thrilled to have Nikki Lieb joining us on the coaching staff for the Cal lacrosse program!” Sherry said. “She has been one of the top players in the country for many years, and her experiences on a national championship team and the U.S. Elite Team make her a great role model for our lacrosse players here at Cal. Her positivity is contagious and her competitiveness is palpable qualities that will help our efforts to develop our student-athletes and take this program to the next level.”

Lieb will be involved with player development and game management for Cal’s midfielders and defenders. She will also have significant recruiting responsibilities throughout the year.

“I’m excited about being here and learning from this coaching staff and this team,” Lieb said.

\    A U.S. national team member in 2007 and 2008, Lieb was one of six alternates for the U.S. team that won the World Cup this past June in Prague. Her sister, Jessica Lieb, was also an alternate for the U.S. team.

The 2007 Virginia graduate had worked since 07 for the U.S. Golf Association as an assistant coordinator in vendor relations. Prior to that, Lieb, who has a master’s degree of teaching in elementary education from UVa, taught in Charlottesville, Va., public schools for a year.

Lieb, who also played soccer for the Cavs, worked Virginia women’s soccer and lacrosse camps in 2005-06 and in U.S. national team clinics in 2007-08. She led the Cavs lacrosse team to Atlantic Coast Conference championships in 2004 and 2006 and was a captain of the ’06 team. Lieb, who played in midfield and in defense at UVa, finished her college career with 136 draw controls (ranking second in school history at the time), 83 caused turnovers (7th in school history) and 189 ground balls (15th).

Just as fellow Cal assistant coach Julia Southard played against Sherry during their college days, Lieb played against Sherry when the latter starred at Princeton.

“Ironically, Nikki was on the team that beat mine in the 2004 national championship game, which was the last game of my senior season in college,” Sherry said. “My Princeton team beat UVa the year before when Nikki was a freshman, so our record against each other is 1-1 for the NCAA final games, and I think it is 2-2 overall. Our teams had a very healthy rivalry in college, but I am glad that we will be joining forces now for Cal!”

Lieb was a US Lacrosse Scholastic All-American in 2002 at Radnor, and helped the Red Raiders win three district championships.