By Chris Goldberg, Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/8/21
Former Villanova women’s lacrosse coach Julie Young has joined the coaching staff at defending Inter-Ac League champion Agnes Irwin, Owls head coach Lauren Wray announced today.
Young – a Germantown Academy alum – announced her resignation in June after leading the Wildcat program for the last 10 years.
During her Villanova career that began in 2012, Young led the Wildcats to a 53-86 overall record, including three berths in the BIG EAST Tournament. After making the program’s first ever trip to the conference tournament in 2015, Young guided the Wildcats to back-to-back BIG EAST Championship appearances in 2019 and 2021.
The 2019 season saw Young guide the Wildcats to a school record 10 wins, in addition to having six players earn All-BIG EAST accolades, including a program record three first team honorees.
Young was also instrumental in helping her student-athletes excel in the classroom. Throughout her Villanova coaching stint, 256 Wildcats earned BIG EAST All-Academic Team honors and 230 players garnered a spot on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.
Prior to arriving to Villanova, Young was an assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania from 2003-2007, while also playing on the USA Women’s Lacrosse National Team from 2001-2004. Young coached seven All-Americans during her time as a Penn assistant and helped the team to back-to-back undefeated seasons in Ivy League play.
In 2008, Young took her first head coaching position at Haverford College, where she was named the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year in her first season at the helm of the program. The following two seasons she led the team to the program’s first conference tournament and in 2010, the team set the highest single season win total in program history with 13. During the 2011 campaign, one of Young’s players was named to the IWLCA All-American team for the first time in 11 years.
Young went to Princeton where she earned a B.A. in psychology while being a two-sport athlete; playing both soccer and lacrosse.
A two-time Tigers soccer captain, three-time MVP, four-time All-Ivy selection and three time Mid-Atlantic Regional All America, Young was named the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award winner during her senior year. This is awarded annually to a Princeton senior woman of high scholastic rank who has demonstrated general proficiency in athletics and the qualities of a true sportswoman.
During her four years on the lacrosse team, the Tigers made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, in 2000 playing in the national championship game and in 2001 the national semifinals game. She was a three-time IWLCA All America, four-time All-Ivy selection winner, and named Ivy League Rookie of the Year. During her senior year, she was named a top five finalist for the Tewaaraton Award, which is annually awarded to the most outstanding American college lacrosse player.
Young is also the founder of Philly Blast Lacrosse Club.