Philadelphia, Pa. - (2/13/2018) – Under the direction of 2011 Hall of Famer, Janice Kuklick (coach/administrator), the College's women's lacrosse program won 14 Philadelphia Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (PAIAW) Championships in a 20-year span. On Friday, April 13, they will join their esteemed coach in the Chestnut Hill College Athletics Hall of Fame, taking their rightful place as one of the most successful programs in the College's Athletics history.



 
Chestnut Hill College Director of Athletics and Recreation, Lynn Tubman is pleased to welcome the members of the championship teams from '79, '80, '84-'93, '95, and '99 back to campus for this historic event, "Chestnut Hill (College) established the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 to recognize the former student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and donors who have been integral in the development of Athletics at Chestnut Hill College." She continued, "It is important that we honor our history and recognize our student-athletes that paved the way for the growth of our current NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division II programs. Our PAIAW Championship teams are a wonderful example of Chestnut Hill College teams that were extremely successful in the 80's and 90's, prior to our entrance into the NCAA. I'm excited to celebrate our history and our championship teams."
 
On Friday, April 13, the Chestnut Hill College Department of Athletics and Recreation will honor over 150 women who established one of the College's most prolific programs during halftime of the 4:00 p.m. women's lacrosse game versus Georgian Court University (@ CHC Campus Field) and, formally, in a Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at St. Joseph Hall (5:30 p.m.). Existing in the years prior to the establishment of Title IX, the PAIAW Championship teams regularly competed against local collegiate programs, including league members from Academy New Church, Beaver College (Arcadia University), Cedar Crest College, Eastern University, Gwynedd-Mercy College (University), Montgomery County Community College, and the Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science (Jefferson University) among others, as well as, featured several noteworthy athletes like Michelle Deitrich ('90-'93, 2x captain), Pam Lorenson ('87-'90, 2x captain), Jodie King ('93, captain), and Class of 2012, Chestnut Hill College Athletics Hall of Famer, Joanne Sauer ('79-'80).

When women's lacrosse was added to the Chestnut Hill College varsity athletics roster in 1961 many first-time players were attracted to the team. In the early years, the fast-paced play demanded much of the inaugural recruits. It was not until 1977 that the program began to produce well-conditioned athletes and more competitive teams. Eventually, under the direction of Head Coach Janice (Rensimer) Kuklick, the programs proved to be one of the College's most successful athletic programs. In the years that followed their PAIAW dominance, the Chestnut Hill College women's lacrosse program became a member of the Atlantic Women Colleges Conference (AWCC) and produced future Chestnut Hill College Athletics Hall of Famers; Megan McHugh '03 (HOF Class of 2014) and Katie Donovan '09 (HOF Class of 2014), who respectively won NCAA scoring titles in 2002 and 2003, and 2009.
 
Parties interested in attending the 2018 Chestnut Hill College Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony can contact Assistant to the Director of Athletics, Kim Kolesnik for more information: kolesnikk@chc.edu, 215-248-7093.
 
"You Can Do It!"
 
"Let's do it one more time on April 13!"
 
– Head Coach Janice Kuklick, CHC HOF '11