The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks women’s lacrosse program has named the team’s new head coach, former player for the Golden Hawks Erica Shortt, as the third head coach in the program’s history.
Shortt played for the purple and gold between 2003 and 2006 and won four OUA championships with the team, earning OUA first-team honours three times and receiving the honour of OUA MVP in 2004 when she led the Golden Hawks to an undefeated season.
Shortt takes over for Lynn Orth, who has been coaching the team for 20 years, and coached Shortt through her four years at Laurier. Winning eight OUA championships with the team as well as receiving the 2010 OUA Women’s Lacrosse Coach of the Year award, Orth will continue to stay with the team in the team advisor position.
“To come back and coach for a program that has provided me with so many positive experiences both as an athlete and a student is exciting. The Laurier lacrosse program means so much to me. I can’t wait to share the energy and excitement I’m feeling, with this year’s team,” said head coach Erica Shortt in an email statement.
Assisting Shortt is her former teammate Jenna McCoubrey, who played alongside Shortt in 2003 through 2006 also earning four OUA titles as well as receiving OUA second-team honours in 2004 and 2005. The pair will be working alongside Orth to hopefully receive an even better outcome than the previous season.
“My goal is to be the best I can be as a coach and mentor to the team. Working with a group of girls who have put in the work to achieve such success last season, leaves me feeling inspired for the season ahead. I will continue to foster an attitude of hard work, dedication, fitness and fun to this group of amazing young athletes, and hope that success will follow,” Shortt continued in her email statement.
Last year, the team received their best finish in eight season with a silver medal in the OUA championship, which led to 2017-2018 team MVP Rose Williams receiving OUA first-team honours, while teammates Lauren Hunter and Taylor Miller received OUA second-team honours, with Miller earning the recognition for the third time in her career.
The team will be facing University of Toronto, Western University, McMaster University, Queen’s University and the University of Guelph all on Aug 31st in an early bird tournament at the University of Toronto to prepare for the season as Shortt faces her first challenge as head coach.
The team’s first game of the regular season will be at Queen’s University against York University on September 8th, followed by a game against the University of Toronto later that afternoon.
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