Ohio State’s Stimmel (Boyertown, Temple) resigns as head women’s coach at Ohio State

Pbillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/13/10
From Press Releases

Boyertown graduate and former Temple great Sue Stimmel has tendered her resignation as head coach of the Ohio State women’s lacrosse program in order to pursue other professional opportunities, she announced Wednesday with Gene Smith, Ohio State associate vice president/director of athletics.

“I want to thank The Ohio State University and the athletics department for the past 15 years,” Stimmel said. “Building the program has been a truly amazing experience, one that gave me the opportunity to work with wonderful student-athletes and exceptional people. I believe the time has come for me to move on to new challenges and to explore other opportunities.”

Stimmel has served at the helm of the Buckeyes the last 15 seasons and is the only head coach in the program’s history. She compiled a 122-111 record at Ohio State and holds a career coaching record of 198-130 after six seasons at Denison. She led teams to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2002 and 2003 and the ALC Championship in 2003.

“Sue will be sorely missed,” Smith said. “We appreciate the great work she has done to start and establish our women’s lacrosse program. She is truly an outstanding person, and we thank her for all she gave the student-athletes and Buckeye Nation.”

Heather Lyke, associate athletics director for sport administration, oversees the women’s lacrosse program at Ohio State.

“We all wish Sue the best of luck with her future endeavors and we will immediately begin the process of conducting a national search for her replacement,” Lyke said. “We will take the appropriate time to find our next head coach who will lead our women’s lacrosse student-athletes.”

The Buckeyes finished the 2010 season with a 9-8 overall record and a 1-4 mark in the American Lacrosse Conference, earning the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament. Their season ended last Thursday with a 14-12 loss to Penn State in the ALC Quarterfinals.

Stimmel is a 1984 graduate of Temple University. A four-year varsity starter and member of Temple’s national championship teams in 1982 and 1984, she was named a Regional All-American in 1984 and was invited to the U.S. team tryouts.