Goucher Turns Lacrosse Program Over To Thoreson

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher landed somebody who played the sport for four years at a Division I institution, but has experience as the head coach of a Division III program to be its new head women's lacrosse coach.

Cat Thoreson, who has served in the same position at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill. since August 2013, has accepted an offer to take over Goucher's program, Director of Athletics Geoffrey Miller announced this morning.

"We are exceptionally pleased to announce Cat Thoreson as our next head women's lacrosse coach," said Miller. "She fits right in with the high caliber of head coaches we presently have in our department. Cat emerged from our national search as the candidate who had all the elements we were seeking in our next coach: significant recruiting experience, experience leading, motivating and mentoring student-athletes as a head coach at the collegiate level, and a wide variety of skills sets that have allowed her to be successful in the area of alumni relations and program building.

"I am excited to see how she can build on the solid foundation that she is inheriting from Ceri Miller, our former coach, and drive the lacrosse program forward to the Landmark Conference championship."

Thoreson's teams showed marked improvement in each of her three seasons at Benedictine. She guided her first squad to four wins, an increase of three over the previous season. In 2015, the Eagles made their first-ever appearance in the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference's postseason tournament. Her stint ended with the team setting a new school record for most wins in a season in 2016.

Prior to becoming the head coach at Benedictine, Thoreson was an assistant on the women's lacrosse staff at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., which is also a member of the MWLC.

Thoreson attended Hofstra University and graduated from its Honors College in New York City with a bachelor's degree in public relations in May 2009. She played lacrosse for four seasons, helping The Pride claim the Colonial Athletic Association title and advance to the NCAA Division I playoffs as a freshman in 2006.

She was a recipient of the CAA Commissioner's Academic Award all four seasons at Hofstra.

"I am absolutely thrilled to lead the women's lacrosse program at Goucher College and want to thank Director of Athletics Geoffrey Miller and the search committee for this amazing opportunity," Thoreson commented. "Goucher's commitment to achieving and inspiring excellence is clearly apparent and I look forward to joining the team to effect an immediate and lasting impact on the women's lacrosse program.

"I am eager to build not only a Landmark Conference championship team, but a program comprised of young women who are dedicated to establishing a standard of excellence in the classroom, on the field, and in life."