Women’s Lacrosse: Myers steps down as Virginia head coach

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia women’s lacrosse head coach Julie Myers resigned as the Cavaliers’ head coach Wednesday. She directed the UVA program for the past 28 years, taking her teams to the postseason each year except for 2020 when NCAA spring championships were canceled due to the pandemic. During her tenure, no other Division I coach matched that accomplishment.

Myers all-time record at UVA stands at 349-181 (.659). Her win total ranks fifth overall in NCAA Division I women’s collegiate lacrosse history and 11th overall for all NCAA Divisions.

She was just the third head coach in the Virginia program’s history that dates back to 1976. As a student-athlete, assistant coach and head coach, Myers has been associated with the UVA program for 37 years.

“Leading the Virginia’s women’s lacrosse program for the past 28 years has been an opportunity of a lifetime and a lifetime it has been,” Myers said. “While it is hard to leave a place and people that you love so deeply, I am excited to explore leadership opportunities outside of athletics. I am also looking forward to spending time being a parent cheering for my own kids from the college sidelines. They have supported and loved my UVA teams since the day they were born here in Charlottesville.

“Thank you to all of my players, their families, my staff, all of my co-workers, and the athletic department and other supporters who have all been integral to the success of this women’s lacrosse program, to my career and to me personally. Especially to my players. It has been an honor and a privilege to coach each of you. While I am incredibly proud of the many accomplishments we have enjoyed through the years, I will treasure most the memories and the relationships this profession of coaching has provided for me.

“I am so very lucky and will be forever grateful for all of these experiences, while representing the University of Virginia. I wish the team all of the very best in its next chapter for the program.”

In 2004, Myers led UVA to the NCAA Championship and a total of eight Championship Weekend appearances (1996-98-99-2003-04-05-07-14) during her career. She compiled a 32-26 record in NCAA Tournament play, which ranks sixth all-time in tournament wins and fourth in tournament games coached.

During her time on Grounds, Myers led the Cavaliers to ACC titles in 1998, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

“Julie Myers has established an amazing legacy at the University and her name is synonymous with UVA women’s lacrosse,” said Virginia director of athletics Carla Williams. “Her contributions to the University and the sport, as a student-athlete, assistant coach and head coach are enormous. She has dedicated four decades of her life to educating, developing and mentoring young women on and off the field. Her impact on her players cannot be overstated as the women under her tutelage have gone on to ultra-successful careers and made an impact in their own communities. We are thankful she will remain in Charlottesville and close to the University to continue to support the program she helped build into a national standard.”

With Virginia’s national championship victory in 2004, Myers became the first person in women’s lacrosse history at the NCAA Division I level to win a title as a player (1991) and a head coach (2004). She also won one as an assistant coach (1993). Following the 2004 season she was named the national coach of the year by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association. She also received national coach of the year honors in 2008.

Myers resume includes much more than winning games. She produced eight national players of the year, three national rookies of the year and 13 members of the United States National Lacrosse Squads. Myers has also been a member of the Tewaaraton coaches’ committee that selects the nation’s top lacrosse player.

Cavaliers under her direction have won NCAA Woman of the Year honors, led the nation in both scoring and in defense and have been honored as Tewaaraton Trophy finalists. Myers served on a number of committees for the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) and is an accomplished clinician who has made a number of appearances at camps and association meetings across the country.

Before taking over as head coach, Myers served as an assistant on the Cavalier coaching staff from 1992-1994 under Jane Miller.

Myers earned a degree in sociology from Virginia in 1990 and competed as a graduate student in the championship year of 1991. While at UVA, the Bryn Mawr, Pa., native earned a total of seven letters and regional All-America status in both field hockey and lacrosse. Playing in her final season as a graduate student, Myers was the starting center on the 1991 National Championship team and earned second-team All-America honors.

Myers is the mother of three children, Kelsey, Timmy and Kevin. Kelsey was a senior on the Stanford women’s lacrosse team in 2023 while Timmy was a freshman for the Cavaliers’ men’s lacrosse team this past season.