Stonehill one win away from its best season in program history

Lauren Amundson

EASTON, Mass. (November 9, 2011) – Stonehill College women's volleyball head coach Lauren Amundson has been named the Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) Coach of the Year by a vote of her peers for the first time in her career, it was announced earlier today by the league office.

Amundson, now in her third season, has piloted the Skyhawks to a 27-5 overall record, tying the program mark for most wins in a season which was set in 1996 (27-8). Over the course of her three-year career at Stonehill, Amundson has led the Skyhawks to two appearances in the NE-10 Tournament – including this season – and has compiled a 58-29 career record, good enough for a .667 winning percentage.

"I am excited - it's nice and humbling," said Amundson. "It just speaks to all of the hard work that my girls put in. They are the ones that do it all. I am thankful that they trust what Mo [assistant coach Mo Atkins] and I are trying to do."

Amundson has also been recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) during her brief collegiate coaching career, earning "Thirty Under 30" honors by the association. Established in 2009, the award honors coaching talent younger than 30 years of age at all levels of volleyball.

As successful as her teams have been on the court, the Stonehill College women's volleyball team has also been recognized for its hard work in the classroom, garnering the Fred C. Petti Team Academic Award in 2009 for having the highest combined grade point average (GPA) among Stonehill women's teams during the academic year.

The Skyhawks were also honored by the AVCA for their work in the classroom during the 2010-2011 season with an AVCA Team Academic Award. The award, which was originated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team GPA on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale. 

Prior to Stonehill, Amundson spent two years as an assistant coach at Bryant University as the program transitioned to Division I, helping the Bulldogs to a combined 48-32 overall record and an appearance in the 2007 NCAA Division II East Regional championship game. As a collegiate player, she was a standout setter for Christian Brothers University in Memphis, where she holds four program records including the single-season and career assist marks.

Stonehill, seeded-second in the NE-10 Tournament, hosts third-seeded Adelphi University on Friday, November 11, in the NE-10 semifinal round at 5 p.m. The Skyhawks, undefeated in their last 15-straight home matches, have a chance to advance to the NE-10 Championship for the first time in program history with a win over the Panthers. In the regular season, Stonehill swept Adelphi, 3-0, at home.

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