Cindy Timchal is used to a challenge.
The all-time winningest coach in women’s college lacrosse history started the program at Northwestern in 1982 before moving to Maryland in 1990, where she won eight national championships in 17 seasons. But now, Timchal is facing her biggest challenge yet: preparing Navy for its first season as a Division I program.
Recommended Stories
The Midshipmen have eight freshmen in their first recruiting class, as the majority of the roster includes players who competed on the academy?s club team that finished 18-6 after losing to Cal-Poly in the U.S. Lacrosse Women?s Division Intercollegiate Associates championship game.
“The players learned a lot about what to expect from me last season,” said Timchal. “We have a lot of work to do as we build a foundation and a following for the future.”
Timchal acknowledges recruiting at Navy is much different ? and more difficult ? than recruiting at Maryland, where students are not bound by a five-year military commitment after graduation.
However, Timchal is confident the Midshipmen will be competitive very soon since Navy has made the same commitment to the women?s team as it has to its successful men?s team. Both teams will play home game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, one of the sport?s premier venues.
Furthermore, several upstart women?s lacrosse teams have enjoyed success in their infant stages. Northwestern has won the past three national titles after the university reinstated the program in 2002 after it had been dropped to club status in 1993. Northwestern is coached by Kelly Amonte Hiller, who won two titles as a player under Timchal at Maryland before graduating in 1996.
“There is a huge resurgence in women’s lacrosse and teams can flourish if given the resources to do it,” Timchal said. “There is a difference recruiting at Navy, but the facilities here are great, the location is perfect and anyone who comes here is going to get a quality education. All of that will help us attract players looking for an opportunity to play Division I lacrosse.”
Navy Notes
» Timchal has a 309-74 career record, including going 233-34 at Maryland from 1990-2006. The record does not include Navy’s 18-5 mark in 2007 as a club team.
» Navy will join the Patriot League this season and will play its first official Division I game Feb. 19, 2008 when it hosts St. Francis in conference game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
» Here is Navy’s first recruiting class: Lexi Dauernheim (Monterey, Calif. / Santa Catalina HS), Meg Decker (Baltimore/ Mount De Sales), Kristin Lein (Peachtree City, Ga. / McIntosh HS), Caitlin Mandrin Hill (Annapolis, St. Mary’s) Katrina Nietzsche (New Canaan, Conn. / New Canaan HS), Alison Reckenbeil (Somerville, N.J. / Somerville HS), Erica Sizemore (East Amherst, N.Y. / Williamsville East HS), Ryan Yohe (Springfield, Va. /West Springfield HS).
