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Katie Woods
Katie Woods wrapped up her seventh season at UConn in 2017, guiding the Huskies to an 8-8 overall record and a 5-4 clip in the Big East. Woods 73 wins and .633 win percentage at UConn both mark the highest in program history, as Woods looks to continue her reign as the most successful coach in UConn women's lacrosse history.
In 2016, Woods coached Shannon Nee to her first IWLCA All-American selection, while Nee and Grace Nolan garnered IWLCA All-Region First Team honors. In addition to their all-region honors, Nolan and Nee earned BIG EAST Attacker and Goalkeeper of the Year accolades, respectively. The Huskies finished the season with a 12-5 over all record and a 6-1 clip in conference action.
Woods helped UConn make history in 2015, helping UConn to accomplished two firsts in the 2015 Big East Tournament after topping Georgetown in the semifinal round. The win marked UConn's first Big East postseason victory in program history and sent the Huskies to their first ever Big East Championship game. Connecticut fell to top-seeded Florida in the finals, as UConn ended the season with double-digit win total (11-7).
In 2015 three UConn players and the Huskies coaching staff each took home major Big East season awards prior to the start of the conference tournament. Lauren Kwasnowski was tabbed the League's Defender of the Year, while Shannon Nee (Goalkeeper of the Year) and Grace Nolan (Rookie of the Year) were also both recognized. Woods and her staff earned Big East Coaching Staff of the Year after leading a Huskies team that once again finished perfect (6-0) at home during the regular season.
Nee and Kwasnowski were both named to the 2015 All-Big East First Team along with midfielder Emily Anderson and attacker Katherine Finkelston. Nolan and attacker Carly Palmucci represented the two Huskies to earn All-Big East second team honors.
Kwasnowski added another postseason accolade to her resume when she was named an IWLCA Second Team All-American in May. She became the fifth Husky to receive the national honor, and she was the first Connecticut defender to be tabbed an All-American. Kwasnowski and Nee were both IWLCA All-Northeast First Team selections in 2015, while Finkelston earned a spot on the Second Team.
That January, Woods was inducted into the CT Lacrosse Hall of Fame along with six other honorees. The Connecticut native, who was a three-sport athlete in high school was recognized in a ceremony on Jan. 30 in Milford, Conn.
Connecticut won at least 10 games for the third straight season in 2014, and four players were named to the All-Big East First Team, including Kwasnowski, who earned her first All-Conference honors. Senior midfielder Lauren Kahn and Nee were again named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Northeast Region First Team after leading the Huskies to a third place finish in the Big East. Connecticut ended the year with a 5-2 record in conference play and won nine of its last 11 regular season games. The Huskies fell in the Big East Semifinals for the second straight year, as they lost to Georgetown, 16-8, in Washington D.C.
In 2013, Woods helped the Huskies make history, as Connecticut finished the season 13-5 and clinched a berth in both the BIG EAST Championships and NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Kahn was named the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year and was selected to the All-BIG EAST and IWLCA All-Region First Team. Nee was also selected to the IWLCA All-Region First Team, and Nee, senior attacker Morgan O'Reilly and junior attacker Kacey Pippitt were all named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team.
Woods led Connecticut to a 10-6 mark in 2012, including a 3-5 record in the BIG EAST Conference. Under her guidance, senior attack M.E. Lapham was named First Team All-Region and All-BIG EAST First Team for the second straight year. Woods also coached sophomore midfielder Lauren Kahn to Second Team All-Region and All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.
In her first year at the helm of UConn lacrosse in 2011, Woods guided the Huskies to a 9-7 overall record, including a 3-5 mark in the BIG EAST Conference. Under her tutelage, M.E. Lapham had a record-setting season, notching 55 goals to set the UConn season mark. Lapham also went on to earn All-BIG EAST First Team honors and was later selected to the IWLCA All-Region First Team.
Woods joined the University of Connecticut as the head women's lacrosse coach in 2011 after serving in the same role for the previous four years at American University.
During her time at American, the Eagles collected 23 all-conference selections, five Patriot League Player of the Year honors and 72 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll accolades. Following the 2008 season Woods was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to a 5-1 record in league play and a share of the regular season championship.
In 2007, her first season as head coach at American, Woods led the Eagles to a 9-9 record, the most wins in a season since 2003 and matched the record for most victories for a first-year head coach. Woods amassed 26 wins in four seasons as head coach at American including 12 in league play, and led her team to the championship game of the Patriot League tournament during both the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Before Woods joined the American coaching staff she spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Brown University in 2005 and `06. At Brown she coached the offensive unit and assisted in coaching the goalkeepers. Woods oversaw the recruiting operations for all prospective student-athletes and served as the area recruiting coordinator for the New England region.
During the 2004 season Woods was the first assistant at Cornell where she worked with the attack and aided in player development. With the Big Red she also planned team travel and was responsible for recruiting and film breakdown.
Prior to her time at Cornell, Woods served as an assistant coach at Davidson for the 2003 season where she helped plan practices and organized recruiting efforts in addition to coaching during contests.
Woods also spent a year at Ithaca College in 2002 as a graduate assistant coach for both women's soccer and lacrosse. While at Ithaca, she earned her master's in exercise and sports sciences.
Woods was a two-sport athlete at Drew, where she played lacrosse and soccer. She was a four-time All-Conference selection in lacrosse, also picking up two Regional All-America and one National All-America award. Woods also excelled in the classroom as a two-time Scholar Athlete award winner.
She graduated with a degree in psychology in May 2001. Woods is a 1997 graduate of South Windsor High School where she played soccer, basketball and lacrosse.
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