Katrina Dowd is back at North Carolina.
Weeks after Dowd left her post as head coach at Oregon, it was announced Friday that Dowd joined Jenny Levy’s staff as associate head coach — the same program she served for from 2013-16.
The news provides an ending to a 2018 Oregon coaching staff in flux this offseason. Dowd resigned from her position at Oregon on July 13 after two seasons at the helm, citing “pursuing other opportunities” as a factor in her decision.
Dowd is one of a handful of Oregon coaches to leave the school this summer. Softball coach Mike White, women’s golf coach Ria Scott, women’s tennis coach Alison Silviero and track and field coaches Maurica Powell and Andy Powell joined Dowd in leaving Oregon.
Shortly after Dowd stepped down, former Oregon assistant and fellow U.S. national team member Michelle Tumolo left to accept the head coach position at Wagner. The Ducks filled their head coaching vacancy on Wednesday, hiring former Stanford assistant Chelsea Gamble.
Becca Block, an assistant under Dowd for the past two seasons and member of the 2017 U.S. women’s national team, remains at Oregon as an assistant after serving as interim coach for 18 days.
Dowd finished her Oregon career with an 18-17 record in two seasons. She’ll join a staff at North Carolina that she’s extremely familiar with, after previously helping the Tar Heels to two NCAA titles in four seasons.
“I am excited to be back at North Carolina,” Dowd said. “Chapel Hill is a special place, and I am looking forward to continuing the legacy of success with Carolina lacrosse.”
Dowd led the North Carolina offense from 2013-2016, overseeing stars like Molly Hendrick, Kara Cannizzaro, Aly Messinger, Sammy Jo Tracy and Marie McCool. Her offense finished fifth nationally, and eighth in draw controls, in 2016 en route to upsetting the two-time defending champion Maryland.
The Northwestern alum that won three national championships during her college career was a nice addition to Levy’s staff.
“The opportunity to bring a coach of her caliber back into our lacrosse program was unexpected but welcomed,” Levy said. “There is no denying the great success we shared when we worked together, and I am looking forward to building on that foundation. After spending two successful years as the head lacrosse coach at the University of Oregon and as an assistant coach on the 2017 World Cup silver medalist Canadian National Team, Katrina brings an elite level of experience and knowledge to our program.”
Dowd’s international experience also helped bring her name to the limelight. She scored a World Cup-record 26 goals en route to the U.S. national team’s gold medal in the 2013 FIL World Cup. She then spent time as an assistant under Gary Gait for the Canadian national team in 2017.
Before her time at North Carolina, Dowd served as an assistant at Syracuse (2012) and Denver (2011).