Kenyon coaches earn IWLCA Staff of the Year award

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. – The Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) announced today the 2023 National and Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year. Among the eight selections in NCAA Division III, the Kenyon College crew was named the Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year.

Kenyon head coach Jess Good and assistant coach Tatiana Samuel directed the Owls through an 18-2 season that included program records for wins (18) and consecutive games won (17). The Owls went undefeated in North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) play and claimed their second straight regular-season championship.

Early in the season, while unranked, the Owls upset No. 25 SUNY Geneseo and No. 14 University of Chicago. Following those wins, the team earned the first national rank in program history. The Owls, who ended up at No. 20 in the final IWLCA Division III national poll, received a first-round bye in the NCAA Division III Tournament and won their second-round game before bowing out in the third round with a loss to No. 18 Pomona-Pitzer.

 Throughout the 2023 campaign, Good and Samuel steered the Owls to multiple team records, including single-season marks for goals (313), points (443), draw controls (305), goals against average (7.34) and overall winning percentage (.900). Among all teams in the conference, Kenyon ranked first in goals, assists, points, shots, goals against average and save percentage.

Among all teams in NCAA Division III, Kenyon ranked 19th in scoring defense and 26th in scoring offense. Additionally, Kenyon’s 18-2 record was the fifth best in Division III, in terms of both wins and win percentage.

Ahead of the 2023 season, the IWLCA Board of Directors approved changing the name of the annual award to recognize the entire coaching staff, rather than individual coaches. All winners of the award will be honored at the IWLCA Convention, which is set to take place in November at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront Hotel in Tampa, Florida.