Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/11/10
From Press Releases
University of Delaware women’s lacrosse head coach Kateri Linville has made her first hire a familiar one, not only to her, but to Blue Hen fans as well.
Kristin Hopson, a two-time scholastic All-American at Radnor who played collegiately under Linville at Notre Dame and served as an assistant coach for the Blue Hens during the 2008 and 2009 seasons under Kim Ciarrocca, was named Delaware’s assistant coach.
“It is an honor to be able to bring back one of Delaware’s best,” said Linville, a 2003 Delaware graduate who was selected as UD?head coach last month after serving the previous five seasons as an assistant at Notre Dame. “Kristin values academic and athletic excellence and will demand it from our student-athletes. She is an outstanding role model and a proven leader.
“She played a key role in leading Notre Dame (as a player), Delaware and James Madison (as a coach) to season best marks. As a UD alumni, she shares in my vision for greatness and is committed to elevating the Fightin’ Blue Hen lacrosse program to national prominence.”
Hopson, a native of Rosemont, served as an assistant coach this past season at Delaware rival James Madison University under head coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe and helped lead the Dukes to a school-record 17 wins (17-3), the Colonial Athletic Association tournament title, a No. 8 final national ranking, and a berth in the quarterfinals of the NCAA? Tournament. She worked most closely with the James Madison defensive unit that finished second nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 7.2 goals per game.
“It is an honor to return to the University where I began my coaching career,” said Hopson. “With such a strong academic and athletic reputation, along with the vision for the future, the University of Delaware is a desirable place to be. Kateri has been a tremendous role model and mentor for me and I look forward to working along side her. We share the same vision for this program and I am eager to begin my journey and help put Delaware in a position to win our first CAA championship.”
During her two seasons as an assistant at Delaware in 2008-09, Hopson helped lead the Blue Hens to combined record of 21-14 which included an 11-6 mark in 2008 and a 10-8 showing in 2009. The Blue Hens advanced to the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament both seasons, including a berth in the league championship game in 2009 which marked the team’s first appearance in a conference title game since 1999. Under Hopson’s leadership, the UD?defensive unit garnered national recognition, ranking third in the nation in scoring defense in 2009 (8.5 goals per game).
Hopson was a three-time monogram winner at Notre Dame, starting three seasons on defense for the Irish women’s lacrosse team from 2005-2007. During her career, she played in 55 games, making 45 starts, including 35 starts in 36 games during her junior and senior years.
A two-time Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse academic honor roll selection, she graduated from Notre Dame with a 3.639 grade-point average and a degree in psychology and sociology. She was selected as the winner of the women’s lacrosse team’s 2007 Rockne Scholar-Athlete Award for her excellence in the classroom.
A three-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star, the defensive stalwart recorded 60 ground balls, caused 21 turnovers and had nine draw controls over her four seasons on the Irish back line. She was a member of two NCAA tournament teams, including the 2006 Notre Dame squad that advanced to the NCAA Final Four.
She was a three-sport standout at Radnor and earned 12 letters in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. She was a captain in all three sports and led the lacrosse team to state titles in 2000, 2001, and 2003. She earned All-Central League honors in all three sports, was named the Main Line Times Female Athlete of the Year in 2003, and was a two-time All-American in lacrosse.
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