Current time in Baltimore 7:57 p.m. Friday, July 10, 2009
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Innovative, Difference-Maker, Creative, Stellar, Spectacular: All words used to describe Jen Adams throughout her illustrious playing career on the collegiate and international levels.
Those same adjectives hold true for her coaching style and leadership of the Loyola women's lacrosse program.
Considered by most to be the best women's lacrosse player of all time and the top young coach in America, Jen Adams became the seventh head coach of Loyola women's lacrosse in the 36-year history of the program.
"This is a wonderful day for Loyola College and Loyola Greyhounds athletics," Loyola Director of Athletics Joe Boylan said the day she was hired. "The best young coach in America is joining the Greyhounds family. Jen combines an amazing talent as a student-athlete and a coach, and we are looking forward to her contributions to our program."
Adams served as the associate head coach at the University of Maryland during the 2007 and 2008 seasons and is making her first foray as a head coach.
In addition to coaching at her alma mater, Adams was an assistant coach to current Maryland Head Coach Cathy Reese at the University of Denver from 2004-2006.
"I am very excited about this opportunity," Adams said when she was selected for the job. "I had the chance to meet with the staff and many of the players and feel extremely confident and excited to be able to work within such a welcoming family atmosphere. I am looking forward to taking this next step in my professional career at Loyola.
"I appreciate this amazing opportunity that Loyola has given me. I am looking forward to working with them to guide these student-athletes through their collegiate careers both in the classroom and on the field. I would also like to thank (Loyola President) Father (Brian) Linnane and many of his senior council for supporting me in this exciting next phase of Loyola Women's Lacrosse."
At Maryland, Adams rejuvenated the Terrapins offense to play in her up-tempo attacking style. In her first season as associate head coach, Maryland scored 287 goals, the most it had recorded in a season since 2001, Adams' senior year as a student-athlete.
In 2008, Adams helped Maryland ascend to a No. 2 rank nationally. The Terrapins, who finished with an 18-3 record, scored an average of 14.9 goals per game, sixth nationally, and were second in Division I with 477 total points. Two Maryland student-athletes finished in the top 50 nationally in goals per game, and three were in that same range for assists per game.
Adams put together arguably the best collegiate lacrosse career of any player in the collegiate ranks during her tenure at Maryland from 1998 -2001. She racked up honors like she scored goals and recorded assists and was named to the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse 25th Anniversary Team in April 2007.
The Brighton, South Australia native, was named the three-time national player of the year and was the first recipient of the Tewaaraton Trophy in 2001.
Adams set every scoring record for the Terrapins - season and career - helping them win national titles in each of the four seasons she spent in College Park. She finished her storied career with 267 goals, 178 assists and 445 total points. Her marks for total points stands today as an NCAA record, and her goals total is still a record at Maryland.
In addition to her career marks, Adams had single-season performances that also rank amongst the best in Maryland and NCAA history. During her Teawaarton-winning senior season, Adams led the nation with 88 goals, 60 assists and 148 total points, setting school single-season marks in the process. Those season totals only added her name one rung higher, as she had set school records with 81 goals, 55 assists and 136 total points the previous season.
Adams' efforts were not limited just to the lacrosse field. In addition to her three All-America honors as a player, Adams earned the 2000 and 2001 Honda/Broderick Award for women's lacrosse excellence in the classroom and on the field. She also garnered CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team honors as a senior.
She was also named the National Attacker of the Year in 1999, 2000 and 2001 and earned Atlantic Coast Conference Female Athlete of the Year laurels in 2000 and 2001.
Adams' accomplishments did not end when she hung up her cleats for the Terrapins. She has been a member of the Australian National Team since her pre-Maryland days. In 2005, Adams led the Aussie National Team to a 14-7 defeat of the United States in the Women's Lacrosse World Cup. She scored four goals, and assisted on three others, in the gold medal game.
She earned All-World honors at the games, leading all players with 26 assists and 47 total points.
Adams is currently a member of the Australian National Team that is gearing up for the 2009 Women's World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic.
In addition to her continued participation with the Australian National Team, Adams has been a highly-sought clinician around the world and is the primary spokeswoman for STX Women's Lacrosse.
Adams graduated from Maryland in 2001 with a bachelor of arts degree in sports marketing.
