Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/13/21
From Press Release
Chestnut Hill College Director of Athletics Jesse Balcer recently welcomed former Edinboro coach Jalen Middlebrooks as the Griffins’ Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach.
“Jalen Middlebrooks is an up-and-coming coach in women’s lacrosse,” Balcer said. “I feel very fortunate to welcome her to the Chestnut Hill family. Her experience as a Division I player and ability to lead women were the determining factors in making this hire. I look forward to watching Jalen grow as a coach and grow our women’s lacrosse program back to prominence in the CACC.”
Middlebrooks served as an assistant coach at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania for three seasons (2018-2020) before taking on head coach title during the Fighting Scots’ 2021 campaign.
“I am very excited and honored to be a part of the Chestnut Hill College community” said Middlebrooks. “I look forward to further improving the program and not only continue shaping resilient student-athletes, but leaders of the future as well.”
Coach Middlebrooks has been described by her mentor – former Chestnut Hill College Head Coach and Temple/Wissahickon alum Chelsea Rosiek (2013-2015) – as an “Up-and-coming coach, who not only understands the game of lacrosse, but understands people. She is someone who will make any community a better place.”
Middlebrooks received her bachelor’s in psychology 2017 after competing as a four-year starter under Rosiek at St. Bonaventure University. A walk-on at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institution, she started all 65 of her games between 2014 and 2017 and captained the Bonnies during both her junior and senior seasons (2016, 2017).
As a senior, Middlebrooks was named All Atlantic-10 Second Team defender thank to a team-high 31 caused turnovers, 42 ground balls, seven draw controls, and a pair of tallies. As a junior, she totaled five points (4 goals, 1 assist), 39 ground balls, 17 draw controls, and 23 caused turnovers. Her sophomore season (2015) was just as successful with 24 ground balls, 28 draw controls, and 18 caused turnovers.
Middlebrooks’ freshman campaign (2014) included 15 ground balls six draw controls, and six caused turnovers. Overall, she finished her collegiate career with seven points (6 goals, 1 assist), 120 ground balls, 58 draw controls, and 78 caused turnovers.
A native of Connecticut, Middlebrooks was a standout student-athlete at Newington High School, where she was named Most Outstanding Female Athlete and two-time all-conference performer in both lacrosse and soccer.
