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Jenn Cook
Jenn Cook enters her third season as head coach of the Princeton Women's Lacrosse program in 2025, and is in her 13th season overall on staff after previously serving as an assistant coach and associate head coach,
Since Cook joined the coaching staff, there have been ten full seasons of play and Princeton has won Ivy League titles in seven of them. The Tigers have also won five Ivy League Tournaments during Cook's tenure, claiming five in a row (2016-19, 2022). Princeton has also qualified for all eight NCAA Tournaments it was eligible to play in since Cook arrived at Princeton, reaching the quarterfinals on three occasions.
Cook acts as the defensive coordinator and works with the center draw unit. She also has input into every phase of the game and operation, including recruiting, scouting, player development, film breakdown and program management.
After the 2020 and 2021 seasons were impacted by COVID-19, Princeton returned to action -- and picked up right where it left off -- in 2022. Cook and the Tigers won a seventh consecutive Ivy League regular season title with an undefeated 7-0 Ivy run that included a 17-14 win over Yale in a battle of Ivy unbeatens on the final day of the regular season. One week later, the Tigers again defeated the Bulldogs at Class of 1952 Stadium -- this time by a score of 19-9 -- to win a fourth consecutive Ivy League Tournament. The Tigers would finish the season 15-4 and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament following a 15-9 win over UMass at home to open NCAAs.
In 2019, Princeton went 16-4 and reached the NCAA quarterfinals before falling to No. 1 ranked Boston College. The Tigers won the Ivy League championship for the sixth straight year and the Ivy League Tournament for the third-straight time and had an 11-game winning streak to close out the regular season – earning the No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The program nearly swept the major Ivy League awards with Attacker, Defender, Goalie and Coach of the Year with five earning all-region honors and three capturing All-America honors.
Bringing in the second-best recruiting class in the nation (Inside Lacrosse), in 2018 Cook had her work cut out for her with a young defense and the loss of its two All-Americas in goal and on attack. A major turning point came late in March and Princeton went on a 6-1 run through the end of the regular season. The Tigers only loss was an 11-10 game versus No. 2 Maryland, a game in which Princeton led for the first 50 minutes and the game decided with 45.1 seconds left. The Tigers won their fifth consecutive Ivy League regular-season title and with a 21-8 win over Penn captured home advantage for the Ivy League Tournament. Princeton again claimed the crown to advance to the NCAA tournament. The Tigers topped Syracuse 12-11 in double overtime before facing No. 4 Boston College in the second round.
In her first season at Princeton, in 2013, Cook helped guide the team to its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance. The Tigers went 10-7 including a perfect 7-0 record at home, and were the runner-up in the Ivy League with a 6-1 record, with that lone loss coming in overtime. The Tigers faced Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, suffering a double overtime defeat in what was named by InsideLacrosse as a finalist for Game of the Year finalist.
The Ivy League trophy returned to Old Nassau in 2014, as Princeton shared the title with Penn and was the No. 1 seed in the Ivy League Tournament, as it beat Penn in a head-to-head battle. The Tigers defeated Penn State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and lost by just two goals to final four team Virginia in the second round in Charlottesville.
Princeton won its second consecutive Ivy League title in 2015, this time with a perfect 7-0 record, and went on to win the Ivy League Tournament Championship. The Tigers reached the NCAA quarterfinals after defeating Fairfield and Stony Brook in the first and second rounds. Though the eight-game win streak ended in Durham in the NCAA quarters, it was Princeton's longest streak since the 2009 season.
The 2016 squad retained the Ivy League title, sharing it with Penn, and reached the NCAA tournament for the 23rd time. The Tigers had two players Olivia Hompe and Ellie DeGarmo named Top-25 Nominees for the Tewaaraton Award and both captured All-America honors. DeGarmo was named the IWLCA DI Goalie of the Year after leading the nation nearly the entire season in save percentage, finishing with a .536.
Winning their fourth consecutive Ivy League title in 2017, the Tigers captured the Ivy League Tournament Championship and earned a bye in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as the No. 5 seed. Princeton reached the quarterfinals with the Hompe leading the nation in goals per game (3.95) and being a top-five finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy. DeGarmo led the nation in save percentage (.554) and both were first-team All-America selections.
Prior to joining the Tigers, Cook spent the four seasons at her alma mater North Carolina. She coached all aspects of defense and draw work, responsible for team compliance, fundraising and budget, in addition to recruiting, video and practice and game day prep. Cook helped recruit and coach the 2009 national goalie of the year and national defender of the year, in addition to having a player named a 2010 Tewaaraton finalist. In her final season, 2012, Cook's defense ranked third nationally in goals allowed per game.
Prior to re-joining the Tar Heels, Cook was an assistant coach at Drexel during the 2007-08 academic year, charged with coaching the defense.
A two-time Tewaaraton nominee, Cook was a three-time IWLCA All-American, including a pair of first-team honors. She was also named first-team All-American by Inside Lacrosse on three ocassions. Cooks was named first-team All-Region and All-ACC three times each. A two-time team MVP, Cook was named the 2007 Inside Lacrosse Defender of the Year and graduated with the Tar Heels' career records in ground balls (200) and games played (76), as well as draw controls in a season (51). During her career, Cook and the Tar Heels made three NCAA quarterfinal tournament appearances and was ranked in the Top 12 all four years, including Top-Five spots her junior and senior years.
A native of Broomall, Pa., Cook graduated from UNC in 2007 with a degree in exercise sports science with an emphasis in sports administration. Cook earned a masters in Sport Management from Drexel University in 2016, graduating with honors.
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