Mason Named Women's Lacrosse Coach at Keene State
KEENE, N.H. 06/14/06 - One of the Owls’ all-time top two-sport athletes, Michelle Mason, has been named the new women’s lacrosse coach at Keene State College. Mason, a former standout lacrosse and soccer player at KSC, is excited to take over a program that she starred on during her three-year (2002, 2004-05) playing career.
“Coaching a college team was always my goal,” said Mason. “As a player, I thought it would be great to come back and eventually coach at Keene. It happened a lot quicker than I imagined.”
“Michelle was an outstanding student athlete at Keene State and we’re excited to have one of our former players take over the program,” said KSC athletic director John Ratliff. “I’m confident she can utilize her experience as a player and her knowledge of the game to develop a successful program.”
Making the transition from player to coach, Mason will receive a helping hand from Amy Watson. Watson, the Owls’ longtime field hockey coach, will serve as an associate coach. She was the head coach of KSC’s first varsity lacrosse team in 1998.
Mason said she is not concerned about coaching players who were once her teammates. “Most of the players from my playing days are no longer with the team,” she said. “As far as the ones that are back, I feel I can earn their respect.”
Although the Owls lost eight seniors from last year’s team, Mason feels the program has tons of potential. “We want to challenge for the Little East championship every year,” Mason said. “One of my first goals is to set expectations. Players want discipline. “They want to leave practice with the feeling that they accomplished something.”
Mason, who served as an assistant last season, was a record-setting attacker for the Owls. A three-time LEC all-star, the Fairport, N.Y., native established KSC career goal (202), assists (82), and point (284) records. She also rewrote the Keene State women’s soccer record book during her four seasons as the Owls’ starting goalie.
Mason takes over the KSC women’s lacrosse team from Emily Johnson, who served as the Owls’ coach the past five seasons. Under Johnson, KSC posted an 8-10 record last season and captured the 2005 ECAC championship.
