Columbia lacrosse has a new head coach: Anne Murray.
It is the inaugural head coaching opportunity for Anne Murray, who previously spent four years as an associate coach for Fairfield women’s lacrosse. She has been an associate coach at Mount St. Mary’s College, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, and Princeton since beginning her coaching career in 2009. Prior to coaching, she played lacrosse at Princeton from 2005 to 2009.
“We are excited to welcome Anne Murray as our new lacrosse coach at Columbia,” Columbia Director of Athletics Peter Pilling said in a release. “With the sustained success she has achieved at the collegiate level, Anne beings a high level of coaching experience at a variety of institutions, including nine years as both a coach and a player in the Ivy League. Everywhere she has been, Anne has shown a commitment to achieving success and building a positive team culture. Her vision for the program includes having student-athletes that are hard-working, balanced academically and athletically, and fundamentally sound in their skill development.
“At Columbis, we aim to compete for championships and provide an outstanding student-athlete experience. Anne fits into that vision,” Pilling continued.
As an associate coach, Anne Murray has taken eight lacrosse teams to the NCAA Tournament and won 12 combined regular season conference championships and conference tournament titles, including a very successful stint at Fairfield. In her four seasons with the program, the Stags won three MAAC regular season crowns, three MAAC Tournament titles, appeared in three NCAA Tournaments, and went 43-18 overall and 24-3 in the league.
“Anne is a smart and innovative coach who will take her talent for recruiting and her competitive drive back to the Ivy League where she has thrived,” Fairfield women’s lacrosse head coach Laura Field said of Anne Murray in a statement. “While we are sad to see her leave Fairfield, I know I speak for all of our Stag Family in thanking her for her time with us and wish her the utmost success in her next venture where I know she will undoubtedly exceed all expectations.”
While in college, Murray served as an attacker at Princeton. The Tigers went to the NCAA Tournament in all four of her seasons, reached the quarterfinals thrice, and won the 2006 Ivy League championship.
Before college, the Pittsburgh native was an All-American at Mount Lebanon High School and won four regional triumphs. She is currently working toward a Master’s degree in American studies from Fairfield.
“I consider myself fortunate to be able to represent such an esteemed institution and look forward to working with the unique individuals that make up the administration, coaches, staff, athletes, and alumni of Columbia University,” Murray said in a release. “I will cherish the role as head lacrosse coach and cannot wait to begin the journey ahead with such a passionate group of women, both as players and alumnae. The program has a loud heart and all are ready for the task that is ahead. These young women pride themselves in their presence on the field, their ability in the classroom, and their efforts in the community.”
Now for the other lacrosse news from the week of July 13-19, 2021.
Last Week in Lacrosse
The PLL All Star Weekend came and went for the first time since 2019. The Adversaries defeated the Defenders, 23-21, with Tim Troutner winning MVP via a 24-save performance.
The NLL introduced a new playoff format for the 2021-22 season that will make every round after the first a best-of-three series. The league also announced a new conference realignment and matchups for its opening weekend of the coming campaign, set for Dec. 3-4, 2021.
Roy Simmons Jr. returned home after a long recovery from surgery.
USA Lacrosse named Duke commit Andrew McAdorey the 2021 High School National Player of the Year.
The Poughkeepsie Journal interviewed JD Colarusso about making his professional debut.
The USA women’s lacrosse sixes training camp roster was announced. The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, are set for July 2022.
Get Caught Up on LAS Content
Miss out on what we did last week? Here’s a recap of some of our top content from the last seven days.
Best Lacrosse Players Who Never Played MLL or PLL
Ryan Kuhn took a break from the modern era to look back at some of the best male lacrosse players ever who didn’t get the chance to show their stuff in the MLL or PLL.
Belgium Lacrosse Eyes Popularity Double by 2031
Belgium Lacrosse has some big plans for the next decade. Marco Daniele explained what the program has on the horizon.
Are Prospect Camps Worth It?
It’s a big question in recruiting, and while there is a simple yes or no answer to it, there’s more than meets the eye when considering prospect camps.
How to Own a Sports Team with NLL Owner Oliver Marti
Albany FireWolves owner Oliver Marti joined the Going Offsides podcast to discuss how to become a sports team owner, how he found his way into it, his history in lacrosse, and more.
Best PLL Helmets: Breaking Down the League’s Best Buckets
The PLL is a factory of apparel. The league has produced some unbelievably nice helmets. Nick “Peaches” Pietras takes you through his favorites as he evaluates the PLL’s best buckets.
