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UD names new head coach for women’s lacrosse

3:59 p.m., July 7, 2004--Kim Ciarrocca, who led Temple University to national prominence over the last 12 seasons, has been named head coach of the women’s lacrosse program at the University of Delaware.

Ciarrocca, the fifth coach in the 27-year history of women’s lacrosse at UD, replaces Denise Wescott, who resigned May 12 after 11 seasons as head coach.

“We are excited to have Kim Ciarrocca lead our women’s lacrosse program here at UD,” Edgar Johnson, director of athletics, said. “We have known about Kim and her great success at Temple for a long time, and we really believe she is one of the top women’s lacrosse coaches in the entire country. She brings with her impressive credentials and a great commitment to her players and the sport of women’s lacrosse. We are extremely fortunate to have her join our coaching staff.”

During her 15-year career, Ciarrocca has served as head coach at Ursinus College, Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Muhlenberg and Temple. Her 159-93 overall head coaching record includes a 133-77 mark at Temple, where she coached from 1993-2004.

While at Temple, Ciarrocca’s squads dominated the Atlantic 10 Conference, taking six straight regular league titles between 1999-2004, and advancing to the NCAA Tournament seven times in the last nine years. Besides coaching more than 20 All-Americans, Ciarrocca was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in 2001 and Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year in 1997.

A native of Conshohocken, Penn., Ciarrocca was a standout athlete at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. A goalkeeper and co-captain on Temple’s field hockey squad, Ciarrocca set school records for career saves (751) and shutouts (28), while winning All-American honors in 1986-87. As a member of the lacrosse squad, she led Temple to a four-year record of 83-7, including an NCAA national title in 1988.

A two-time lacrosse All-American, Ciarrocca is seventh on Temple’s all-time scoring list with 207 points on 192 goals and 45 assists. Inducted into the Temple University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School Halll of Fame in 2004, Ciarrocca was a member of the U.S. National Lacrosse Team from 1988-92, where she led the squad to a World Championship title in 1989.

Ciarrocca earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education in 1988 and a master’s degree in sports administration in 1992, both from Temple.

A member of the U.S. Women’s Lacrosse Association, where she has served on numerous committees, Ciarrocca also has been a member of the International Women’s Lacrosse Association.

As a UD coach, Ciarrocca joins her husband, Kirk, who has served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the last two years. The couple and daughter, Colby, and son, Cade, reside in Hockessin.

UD is looking to bounce back from four consecutive losing seasons and hopes to make its first postseason appearance since 2001.

The Blue Hens were 6-10 overall in 2004, with a 2-5 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Among the eight returning starters for 2005 are Jenny Diana, (freshman All-American and leading scorer with 38 goals) and All-CAA selections Erin Edell and Allison Lynch.

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