Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/17/15
Navy women’s lacrosse coach Cindy Timchal (Haverford High, West Chester University) was introduced as one of 15 new inductees into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be Nov. 12 at the Sheraton Society Hill.
Timchal will enter her ninth season at the helm of the women’s lacrosse program at the United States Naval Academy in 2015-16. Timchal, who is entering her 34th year as a head coach, is the NCAA’s all-time leader in career wins (460) for any division, in men’s or women’s college lacrosse. Additionally, her eight national titles (at Maryland) are the eighth most by a coach in a women’s sport in NCAA history, and the 26th most in all sports, men and women combined.
Timchal was named the Midshipmen’s first women’s lacrosse coach on August 5, 2006, and in short order, has laid the foundation for a Navy program that is moving quickly in its quest to become a NCAA Division I power.
In her eight seasons at the helm of the Midshipmen program, Navy has accumulated a terrific 124-32 record, won four Patriot League Championships and has advanced to four NCAA Tournaments (2010-2013).
Timchal, a 1972 graduate of Haverford High, lettered in lacrosse, tennis and track & field at West Chester before beginning a now legendary career coaching lacrosse at Unionville High School, where she coached field hockey, lacrosse and basketball. In 1979, she joined the collegiate ranks, becoming an assistant lacrosse and field hockey coach at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 2012, Timchal was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and is a member of eight different halls of fame.
In 2000, Timchal was inducted into the Haverford High School Hall of Fame. In 2004, she was inducted into the West Chester (Pa.) University’s Hall of Fame. In 2009, Timchal was inducted into the Delaware County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. Timchal is also a member of two US Lacrosse Hall of Fame Chapters: The Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter (2002) and the Potomac Chapter (2006). Timchal was inducted into the University of Maryland Hall of Fame in 2012.
The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2015 is loaded with stars from the city’s rich sports heritage and also features North Carolina field hockey coach Karen Shelton, who played four years of lacrosse at West Chester, one with Timchal; former Phillies center field Garry Maddox; Eagles halfback Tim Brown; Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon (St. Joseph’s Prep); Flyers announcer Lou Nolan; and former Eagles coach Dick Vermeil.
Posthumous inductees include basketball great Walt Hazzard; Roman Catholic basketball coach Billy Markward; soccer star Benny McLaughlin (Temple); boxer Bob Montgomery; 19th century Phillies outfielder Sam Thompson; tennis champion Dick Williams; and former Sixers public address announcer Dave Zinkoff.
