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BEST adj.
/best/
superlative of GOOD

1: excelling all others

2: most productive of good: offering or producing the greatest advantage, utility, or satisfaction

3: most, largest

(Source: Merriam-Webster)

Best of Lacrosse 2018 Finalists
Men’s Player | Women’s Player
Men’s Coach | Women’s Coach
Men’s Breakthrough | Women’s Breakthrough
Men’s Performance | Women’s Performance
Game | Moment

As the lacrosse calendar turns from 2018 to 2019 and we reflect on one of the most riveting years in recent memory, US Lacrosse Magazine is taking to Twitter for the fans’ perspective on what made it so. We’ve identified four finalists each in 10 categories in preparation for our annual “Best of Lacrosse” edition.

Below, we present the finalists for Best Women’s Coach. 

Ann Elliott
Colorado

During one of the team's toughest years with the loss of teammate Julia Sarcona, coach Ann Elliott led the Buffs to the inaugural Pac-12 regular season title with a 9-1 record. In its fifth year as a Division I program, Colorado went 14-6 after starting off the season 1-2. For the first time in program history, the Buffs earned a trip to the NCAA tournament second round after topping Jacksonville for its first-ever NCAA touranment win. Elliott was named the Pac-12 coach of the year, which marks her second straight conference coach of the year honor.

Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe
James Madison

For a historical season, coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe led James Madison to its first NCAA Division I national title, escaping Boston College with a 16-15 championship victory as the tournament's No. 3 seed. The Dukes finished with a school-record 22-1 overall mark in 2018, which featured their second straight CAA crown and the most regular-season wins in program history (16-1 record). Klaes-Bawcombe was the CAA coach of the year for the third straight season as the Dukes, who were led by Tewaaraton finalist and CAA player of the year Kristen Gaudian, set program records in scoring (362), assists (156), points (518), free-position goals (73) and draw controls (330).

Kathy Taylor
Le Moyne

Le Moyne won its first national championship in 2018 under coach Kathy Taylor, who has tallied a 77-10 overall record and 49-3 Northeast-10 mark in four seasons. Taylor's coaching career includes two regular-season titles in the conference and one Northeast-10 tournament crown, but for the first time in program history, she led her team to the NCAA semifinals each of her four seasons. The 16-11 Division II national championship victory over Florida Southern in May marked the first NCAA title by a women's team at Le Moyne. In 2018, she also coached the IWLCA defender of the year Kelly Gaffney and goalkeeper of the year Hannah George, while the Dolphins finished with a 22-1 record.

Acacia Walker-Weinstein
Boston College

With Acacia Walker-Weinstein at the helm, Boston College finished the 2018 regular season with a perfect 17-0 mark for its best year yet. The Eagles claimed the ACC regular season title, advancing to both the ACC and NCAA finals and earning a program-best 22 overall wins. It was their sixth straight NCAA tournament appearance and second consecutive showing in the NCAA championship. Walker-Weinstein, the ACC coach of the year, coached her first Tewaaraton winner in junior Sam Apuzzo, who ranked second in draw controls (163) and third in points (129) in Division I, while also setting single-season record for goals (88), points and draw controls.