Tracy Coyne Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA Position: Head Coach Experience: 14th year Alma Mater: Ohio University '83

Notre Dame head coach Tracy Coyne enters her 13th season directing the Fighting Irish women's lacrosse program. As the only coach in the program's Division I history, Coyne has seen the program come a long way. From the first steps of making the jump from a club program, to leading Notre Dame to its first-ever Final Four appearance in 2006 and last year's fourth trip to the NCAA's, Coyne has been there every step of the way.

The veteran coach has seen her team make the NCAA tournament four times over the last seven seasons (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008) and in 2006, saw her team engineer the biggest turnaround in NCAA women's lacrosse history, going from 3-12 in 2005 to 15-4 in 2006.

She has provided the guiding hand as Irish women's lacrosse has moved from a first-year varsity program in 1997 to one of the top programs in the nation in 2009. From her first days as the Irish head coach, Coyne and her coaching staff laid the groundwork that led to the success the program has achieved in its first 13 years of existence.

The 2008 team was led by All- Americans Caitlin McKinney (first team) and Jillian Byers (second team) and finished the year with a 12-7 overall record. McKinney was named the BIG EAST midfielder of the year with Coyne taking conference coach of the year honors for the third time. Notre Dame was 4-1 in the conference and played in its second BIG EAST Championship tournament, this one hosted by the Irish at historic Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2008 and met Northwestern in the opening round, dropping a 15-7 decision in Evanston, Ill.

In 2007, the Irish were led by second team All-Americans McKinney and Byers, finishing with an 11-6 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the BIG EAST. That qualified Notre Dame for a berth in the first BIG EAST Tournament held in Syracuse, N.Y.

The Irish also accomplished something in 2007 that no BIG EAST team had ever done to that point as they handed Georgetown its first regular-season loss since the BIG EAST began play in 2001.

Through all the success and growing pains, Coyne has been the one constant the program has had.

Hired in July of 1996, the Pittsburgh, Pa., native quickly spread the word about the Notre Dame women's lacrosse program, put together a team that fashioned a 5-4 record during the 1997 season, and assembled a top-notch recruiting class that included four high school All-Americans.

She followed her inaugural season with a 7-6 mark in 1998, including wins against two teams that had beaten the Irish in 1997 - Ohio State and Davidson. The 1999 Irish continued their ascent with nine wins against an enhanced schedule, while the 2000 team completed one of the toughest schedules in the country with a 5-10 mark.

In 2001, the Irish served notice to the women's lacrosse world that Notre Dame was ready to become a prime-time player on a national level.

In the first year of competition in the BIG EAST, the Irish were 10-5 overall and finished third with a 4-2 mark in conference play.

Late in the season, Notre Dame moved into the national rankings after road wins against 17th-ranked Delaware and seventh-ranked Yale. The Irish finished the year ranked 18th in the nation.

The 2002 season saw the Irish ranked for the first time in the preseason, set records for wins (13) and BIG EAST wins (5) and finish the year seventh in the nation. That season also produced the first two All-Americans in the program's history - Kathryn Lam and Danielle Shearer - plus a first-ever berth in the NCAA tournament.

In 2003, the Irish finished the campaign ranked 16th with an 8-7 record capped by a four-game winning streak to end the year. Three Irish players - Andrea Kinnik, Danielle Shearer and Jen White - received various media and national All-America honors.

The 2004 campaign saw Coyne recognized by her peers as the BIG EAST coach of the year as her team finished the year ranked ninth in the nation in the IWLCA coaches' poll with a 12-5 mark. The Irish lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Northwestern and achieved its highest ranking ever as they moved to No. 2 on April 11. Three more players joined the list of Irish All- Americans as Andrea Kinnik,Abby Owen and Meredith Simon all received honors with Simon becoming the program's first, firstteam All-American.

Four consecutive seasons of success hit a bump in the road in 2005 as the Irish struggled to a 3-12 record. Crysti Foote was named third-team All-American and freshman Caitlin McKinney was selected to the U.S. National Developmental Team.

Coyne and the Irish got back on the winning side of the ledger in 2006, going 15-4 overall and 4-1 in the BIG EAST. The Irish, who went 7-4 against nationally ranked teams, hosted a pair of NCAA Tournament games, defeating BIG EAST foe Georgetown (first time in eight tries) in the quarterfinals to move on to the NCAA finals. Foote became the first Irish player to be named All-American twice in her career, taking first team honors in 2006. Freshman Jillian Byers was a second team All-American and McKinney took third team honors.

On the international level,Coyne spent seven years (1999-05) as the head coach of the Canadian women's lacrosse team, guiding Canada to fourth-place finishes in the World Cup in 2001 and 2005.

Admired by her coaching peers, there is little doubt Coyne has the Notre Dame women's lacrosse program headed in the right direction. Her accomplishments and success at the Division III level reflect the effort, dedication and passion she has for the sport.

Prior to coming to Notre Dame, Coyne spent seven years as head coach at Roanoke College (1990-96) and two seasons at Denison College (1988-89).

At Roanoke,Coyne served as head coach of both the women's lacrosse and field hockey teams. In seven seasons, her lacrosse teams compiled a 91-21 record for an .813 winning percentage. She led her squads to the NCAA Division III tournament five times, with her 1992 and 1990 teams earning appearances in the national semifinals. Under Coyne, the 1990 Division III Coach of the Year, the Maroons won five Old Dominion Conference championships, including three straight titles from 1994-96. She also claimed ODAC coach-of-theyear honors in 1990 and 1995.

During her tenure at Roanoke, Coyne produced 22 All-Americans, including 12 first-team selections. In her first season at the school (1990), her team finished with a 17-1 record and advanced to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA semifinals. In 1995, one of her players earned national goalkeeper-of-the-year accolades. She also had four players garner ODAC player-of-the-year honors during her tenure.

Her field hockey teams also achieved success, as she guided the school to its first-ever national ranking in that sport.

Prior to taking over at Roanoke, Coyne served as head lacrosse and field hockey coach at Denison. In two seasons there, her lacrosse teams compiled a 23-5 record and won back-to-back North Coast Athletic Conference titles. In her first season at Denison, she guided the squad to a 13-3 mark and a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. In addition, her efforts earned her NCAC coach-of-the-year accolades.

In 21 seasons as a head coach, her lacrosse teams have a combined 224-103 record (.685) and have won 10- plus games in 15 of those seasons.

She starts the 2009 season as the 11th winningest coach of all-time by wins (224) and is 30th in winning percentage (.685). Among active Division I head coaches, Coyne is third in wins and 11th in winning percentage.

Coyne served as an assistant coach for the United States women's lacrosse team in 1992 and has been a selector for that squad on three occasions. She chaired the Brine Division III national coaches' poll and is currently the Division I represenative to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Association's Board of Directors. She also has chaired the NCAA West/Midwest Regional Advisory Committee and currently chairs the IWLCA's All-American committee.

A 1983 graduate of Ohio University, Coyne received her bachelor of science degree in organizational communications. A letterwinner in both lacrosse and field hockey, Coyne helped the lacrosse squad to the 1982 Midwest Regional championship as well as an eighthplace finish at the AIAW National Lacrosse Championships. In 1981, she led her field hockey team to a share of the Mid-American Conference title.

Coyne served as senior class vice-president at Ohio and was the recipient of the Leona Hughes Pace Award, which is presented annually by the Student Alumni Board to the outstanding senior at the school.

Coyne was an administrative assistant in the University of Pittsburgh athletic department and was an assistant lacrosse and field hockey coach at Sewickley Academy in Sewickley, Pa., after attending graduate school at St. Thomas University (Fla.). She received a master of science degree in sports administration from the school in May of 1985.