Archive: Sports

Aurora, NY – Following an extensive national search, Melissa Jaworski has been hired as the Head Coach of the Wells College women's lacrosse team, Director of Athletics Michael Lindberg announced Friday. Jaworski comes to Wells after serving as the graduate assistant women's lacrosse coach at NCAA Division II Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn.

Jaworski assumes the head coaching reins from Kat Heterbring who becomes the first full-time, single sport coach for the Wells field hockey program. In 2015, the Express posted an impressive 121 caused turnovers while averaging 13.15 draw controls per game – both statistics are the highest in recorded history. The team will enter its 37th season as a varsity program in 2015.

"It is with great pleasure to introduce Missy Jaworski as the new Head Coach of the women's lacrosse program at Wells," remarked Lindberg. "Coach Jaworski's experience as a coach at the college and high school levels and as an NCAA Division I student-athlete will provide the women's lacrosse team with an excellent role model who leads by example. Work ethic, passion for the game and attention to detail in the classroom and on the field are just a few of the outstanding qualities Coach Jaworski brings to our program."

"I would like to thank Provost Dr. Cindy Speaker, Michael Lindberg and the search committee for this great opportunity," remarked Jaworski, a native of Jamesville, N.Y. "I am excited to be back in my home state to grow the Wells women's lacrosse program. I am looking forward to a successful season working alongside my fellow coaches, support staff and faculty across campus."

At Lincoln Memorial, Jaworski assisted Head Coach Caitlyn Corace in the institution's first-ever varsity women's lacrosse season. The team earned its first collegiate victory against Pikeville on Mar. 24 and, to cap off the season, a student-athlete earned the program's first All-South Atlantic Conference honorable mention selection. Jaworski also assumed recruiting, game planning and other administrative responsibilities for the Railsplitters.

At season's end, the team had many individual players rank within the top-30 of statistical leaders in NCAA Division II. Goalkeeper Shannon Novak finished fifth nationally in saves per game (11.50) and 26th in total saves (138) while midfielder Bre'Asia James hauled in 4.67 draw controls per game to rank 18th in Division II.

Alongside her responsibilities at Lincoln Memorial, Jaworski also served as an Ambassador for Legacy Global Sports, coordinating and directing high school tryouts in the Tennessee and Carolinas regions for the national Brine Lacrosse tournament. She also served as a club lacrosse coach with LaxManiax, one of the premier girls' club lacrosse teams in the southern region.

Jaworski joined the collegiate coaching ranks after an impressive high school coaching career at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Hired as head girls' lacrosse coach in 2012, Jaworski coached the team to a 7-9 record before dramatically improving the team's fortune in 2013, racking up 11 victories in 17 games while ranking within the top 40 teams in the state. Concluding her career at Nease with a runners-up finish in the District Tournament, Jaworski managed all aspects of the program while helping five of her nine senior student-athletes go on to play collegiate lacrosse.

A four-year NCAA Division I student-athlete, Jaworski played two years at Binghamton University before concluding her career at Jacksonville University where she earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, graduating in 2012. Across her three-year career, Jaworski made appearances in 34 games while scoring 16 goals and five assists for 21 total points (16-5=21) while hauling in 13 draw controls.

A 2008 graduate of Jamesville-Dewitt High School in Jamesville, N.Y., Jaworski scored 43 goals and added 12 assists as a junior en route to earning First Team All-League and team Most Valuable Offensive Player honors. As a sophomore, Jaworski earned Second Team All-League honors after earning Honorable Mention merits as a freshman for the Red Rams.

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