The first and only lacrosse coach at Oregon, Jen Larsen enters her sixth season at the helm of the Ducks. Larsen has been steadily building the program since her hiring two years before the inaugural season in 2005.
That growth showed in 2009, as the Ducks finished a program-best second in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings, tying with California and Denver. Oregon defeated powerhouse Denver for the first time in 2009, dealing the Pioneers their first regular season MPSF loss in three seasons.
All that success despite the Ducks featuring 14 freshman and four sophomores on the roster. The youth movement under Larsen was recognized, as Jana Drummond was named co-MPSF newcomer of the year.
The Ducks also closed the season well in 2009, winning 10 out of their last 12 regular season games.
In 2008, the Ducks won a record 13 games and opened the year with their best start (6-1) in program history.
Larsen’s 2008 senior-led squad set records in goals scored, shots and draw controls, while also spending six consecutive weeks in the top 20 of the Inside Lacrosse Women’s Media Poll. The Ducks climbed as high as No. 12 on March 17, 2008.
The team had three players receive IWLCA all-region honors, while three also made the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation all-conference team. In addition, senior Jen May received two All-American acknowledgements. The team also had a program-best 12 players make the MPSF all-academic team.
Larsen has worked diligently to foster and develop the lacrosse program at the University of Oregon. The team has improved its record each of the last four seasons. After finishing 6-11 during the Ducks’ first year, the team went 10-9 in 2006, and then put together a 12-7 effort and second place (4-1) standing in the MPSF in 2007. In 2008, Larsen’s squad finished 13-7 and fourth in the MPSF. Her current winning percentage stands at .547 (41-34) through four seasons of action.
The program gained considerable respect following 2007 after three players were named to the IWLCA Midwest/West all-Region second team; Brooke Dieringer, Jen May and Alicia Burkhart. Over the last four years, Larsen’s squads have earned two All-American nods, six IWLCA all-Region honors and 11 all-MPSF accolades. Off the field, Larsen’s student-athletes have received 32 all-conference academic accolades.
A native of Doylestown, Pa., Larsen served as an assistant coach for three years at the University of North Carolina, in charge of recruiting and defense, before receiving her first head coaching job with the Ducks. For the past three years, she has served as a volunteer assistant coach with the US National Women’s lacrosse Developmental team, as well as working on the selection committee.
In her time with the Tar Heels, the program won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and advanced to the 2002 NCAA Final Four.
Prior to her experience at North Carolina, Larsen worked at Duke University from 1998-2000 as an assistant coach and camp director for the field hockey program. She also worked at Georgetown from 1996-1998 as an assistant lacrosse and field hockey coach.
Larsen was a two-sport star at the University of Virginia, captaining both the lacrosse and field hockey teams. Larsen and her lacrosse teammates won the national championship in 1993 and finished as the runner-up in 1996. In field hockey, the Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in 1995, while Larsen was named a second team regional All-American in 1994 and 1995. Larsen graduated from Virginia in 1996 with a degree in psychology.
Oregon was the first Division I school to sponsor lacrosse on an intercollegiate basis in the Northwest. Oregon joined California and Stanford as the only schools in the Pacific-10 Conference to offer women’s lacrosse.
Larsen and the Ducks are currently working toward developing lacrosse in the Northwest, hosting camps, clinics and tournaments throughout the year.
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Courtesy: GoDucks.com
