Huntingdon names Julia Steier as head women’s lacrosse coach

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Huntingdon athletic director Mike Turk announced the hiring of Julia Steier as head women's lacrosse coach on Tuesday.

Steier coached at the Division III and Division I levels for the past eight seasons. She spent the past three seasons as the head coach at Division III Drew University.

"We are extremely pleased and excited to have Julia leading our program," Turk said. "Her background and experience will benefit our program greatly. Her spirit and attitude toward young people will certainly help to grow our program and move it in a positive direction."

The Huntingdon women's lacrosse program will begin its fourth season of competition in 2016. The Lady Hawks are 16-29 in their first three seasons.

"I'm overjoyed to have the opportunity to take over this young program and would like to thank President J. Cameron West, Coach Turk, Associate Athletic Director Eric Levanda and all the other staff and faculty members I had the chance to meet when I visited," Steier said. "I am eager to establish more of a lacrosse culture on campus and to work with the players to help develop this program into something really unique and special within the region. I am impressed with the overall support Huntingdon has for athletics, and after speaking with Coach Turk and President West, I know the lacrosse program can grow to be a thriving and competitive team within the conference and the region."

In three seasons at Drew, Steier led the women's lacrosse program to 28 wins, two appearances in the Landmark Conference Championships and two appearances in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Mid-Atlantic Championships.

Her teams produced 14 All-Conference selections, eight Regional All-Americans, two conference Players of the Year, 11 Academic All-Conference selections, two New Jersey Woman of the Year honorees, two ECAC All-Stars and one Academic All-American.

Before Drew, Steier spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the Division I level with Sacred Heart University. During those three seasons, the Pioneers were 23-7 in the Northeast Conference, won two conference regular-season championships and one conference title.

The Pioneers produced 11 All-Conference selections, one conference Player of the Year and one conference Goalkeeper of the Year. The Sacred Heart coaching staff received Coach of the Year honors in 2010.

Steier's first collegiate coaching position was as an assistant at Wilkes University. She joined the staff in 2007 and spent two seasons with the Colonels. As offensive and midfield coordinator, she helped the Colonels improve from 147th in Division III to 27th in scoring offense and was an instrumental part in Wilkes' turnaround from a 0-15 team to a nine-win team in just two seasons.

Steier earned her master's degree from Wilkes University and her bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University.

She was a four-year starter for Division I Central Connecticut. When she graduated, she held the school records for assists in a game, assists in a season and assists in a career. She was a team captain as a senior and was a three-year member of the Dean's List and a three-time All-Northeast Conference Honor Roll member.