King's College

King's College Department of Athletics
150 North Main Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711

Division 3 Pennsylvania Northeast

Private Small Developing team

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Coaches

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Katy Higinbothom

BIOGRAPHY

Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Cheryl Ish announced that Katy Higinbothom will take over the King's women's lacrosse program heading into the 2023 season. Higinbothom becomes just the seventh head coach in the Monarchs program history, and she is no stranger to the program as she is a 2019 graduate of both the women's lacrosse and field hockey programs.

PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE

Volunteer Coach, Field Hockey, Hood College (2021-22)

PERSONAL

Native of Bel Air, Md.

2019 graduate of King's College with a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in visual and brand communications.

2021 graduate of Salisbury University with a master's degree in English with a concentration in composition and rhetoric.

Competed in field hockey (2016, 2018) and women's lacrosse (2017, 2019) for the Monarchs.

A MAC Academic Honor Roll and Dean's List recipient.

Member of the Lambda Pi Eta honor society.

Served as a US Lacrosse High School Official for girl's lacrosse in the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (2021).

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Jen O'Connor

A familiar face returns to the sidelines this spring as Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Katy Higinbothom announces the addition of Jen O'Connor to the Monarchs coaching staff. O'Connor joins Higinbothom in her second season at the head of the program and looks to build on her first year in Wilkes-Barre with this upcoming campaign.

"I couldn't be more excited to rejoin the King's women's lacrosse program," said O'Connor. "I love the sport, and I am eager to have a positive impact on the team! Go Monarchs!"

O'Connor competed for the King's women's lacrosse team from 2019 to 2021 and totaled 102 points on 68 goals and 34 assists with 173 draw controls, 60 ground balls, and 46 caused turnovers as a midfielder. A 2019 All-MAC Freedom Second Team honoree, O'Connor ranks in the top 10 in individual season records for her efforts that season, including second in draws won (115), third in assists (27), fifth in points (78), and tied for eighth in goals scored (51).

"I am so excited to have Jen joining our coaching staff," stated Higinbothom. "Jen was a phenomenal player during her time on the women's lacrosse team here as she ranks highly in various sections of our program's record book. I believe her knowledge of both ends of the field will help us when developing defensive and offensive sets along with building up our transition between the restraining lines. I am looking forward to having another coach on the sidelines who is passionate about our sport."

Off the field, O'Connor earned her Bachelor of Science degree in medical studies with minors in neuroscience and biology from King's in 2022 and just completed the professional phase of the physician assistant program this past summer. The Gilbertsville, Pa. native was heavily involved on campus in her time at King's as a member of both the Aquinas and Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Societies, the women's track and field and cross country teams, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and Student Government Association (SGA). Additionally, O'Connor is one of the founders of the King's Morgan's Message group that helps promote mental health awareness among college student-athletes.

O'Connor's responsibilities on staff will include building offensive and defensive strategies at practice, breaking down film, and attending recruiting events on campus when available.