SALISBURY, Md. - For the fourth time in
his career at the helm at his Alma Mater, Salisbury University
women's lacrosse coach Jim Nestor has been
recognized by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches
Association (IWLCA) as the Division III Chesapeake Region Coach of
the Year.
Nestor guided the Sea Gulls (22-1) to a school record 22 wins
and a No. 1 ranking for the majority of the season. SU ended its
season in the NCAA semifinals with a tough 11-10 loss to eventual
national champion Hamilton College. The Continental coach Patty
Kloidt was named the IWLCA Division III Coach of the Year and
received the Empire Region Coach of the Year honor as well.
Salisbury broke its own NCAA records for team goals, assists and
points in a season. The Sea Gulls scored 433 goals, 230 assists for
663 points in 23 games during the '08 season.
Nestor repeats as the Chesapeake Region Coach of the Year
as he has earned this honor in 2007, '05 and '04. In 2005, he
was also the national coach of the year. Coach Nestor is also a
six-time CAC Women's Lacrosse Coach of the Year (2003-08).
Coach Nestor is one of 13 coaches to be recognized by the IWLCA
in the three NCAA divisions. Over half of those recipients are
regional winners in Division III.
In seven seasons, Coach Nestor has compiled a remarkable career
record of 116-16 and a 31-2 mark in the Capital Athletic
Conference. Salisbury has won six straight CAC titles under his
tutelage and been a participant in the NCAA tournament six
consecutive seasons. SU has played in the national championship
game twice in the past four seasons. Nestor has guided the Sea
Gulls to the NCAA semifinals four times in the past five seasons.
Nestor, who also coaches the Salisbury women's soccer team, is a
1990 graduate of the University who returned to his Alma Mater
after serving as the head coach for both women's lacrosse and
women's soccer at Division II Gannon University in Erie, Pa., for
six years.
Nestor compiled a 73-20-1 record in six seasons with the Gannon
women's lacrosse program. He guided the team to a winning season
every year during the program's six-year history. Gannon won three
straight ECAC Championships from 1998-2000, and was named the
co-national champion by the IWLCA following the 2000 season.
Nestor was named the IWLCA's Division II Coach of the Year in
1996 and was recognized as the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year
in 2000 by College LacrosseUSA.com. Gannon had 21 players
recognized as IWLCA All-Americans during Nestor's tenure with the
program.
His coaching resume also includes stints at Frostburg State
(1991-92), Colby-Sawyer (N.H.) (1992-94) and Lafayette (Pa.)
(1994).
Originally from Laurel, Md., Nestor received his bachelor's
degree in physical education from Salisbury in 1990. He was a
four-year letterman on the Sea Gull lacrosse and wrestling teams
during his collegiate career. Nestor earned his master's degree in
health and physical education at Frostburg State in 1992. His wife,
Linda, is also a Salisbury graduate and was a four-year
letterwinner on the women's lacrosse team.
A list of the 2008 IWLCA national and regional coaches of the
year for Division III follows.
Division III Coaches of the Year
National Coach of the Year: Patty Kloidt,
Hamilton
Regional Coaches of the Year:
Berkshires: Jessica Critchlow, Union
Boardwalk: Sharon Pfluger, TCNJ
Chesapeake: Jim Nestor, Salisbury
Empire: Patty Kloidt, Hamilton
Metro: Anne Phillips, Franklin & Marshall
Pilgrim: Karen MacCrate Henning, Colby
West: Sarah Queener, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
