Women's Lacrosse

Salisbury head coach Jim Nestor guided the Sea Gulls to the programs first national championship in 2010 as the Gulls went 21-1. Salisbury captured the championship with a come-from-behind 7-6 victory over Hamilton College in the national championship. Additionally the Sea Gulls had three players garner All-American honors and seven players capture All-CAC accolades. Salisbury has now had 38 All-Americans since 1978 and 27 under Nestor. This season marked the sixth time in Nestor's nine seasons that he brought the Sea Gulls to the Division III final four. 

Nestor's eighth season was another one for the record books as the Sea Gulls made a run at a number of program records in 2009. Salisbury's 244 caused turnovers in 2009 were the most in program history. The Sea Gulls' 385 goals both 577 points both ranked second in program history while the 192 assists the team had were fourth-best. Seniors Robyn Bishop, Sarah McKinley and Sonja Stuart were all named IWLCA first team All-Americans while junior Beth Rhodey was named to the second team and senior Holly Johnson was an honorable mention All-American.  McKinley was named the National Defender of the Year and Stuart was named the National Goalie of the Year.

In 2008, Nestor and the Gulls put together quite a record-breaking year as they finished the season 22-1 overall, 7-0 in the Capital Athletic Conference. The Sea Gulls claimed the CAC crown for the sixth consecutive year. For the majority of the season, SU held the No. 1 ranking in the Division III polls. Their quest at a perfect season ended when the maroon and gold were defeated by the eventual national champion Hamilton College in the NCAA semifinals, 11-10. Under the guidance of Nestor, the Sea Gulls compiled a school record 22 wins for the season. They also set NCAA records for goals scored (433), assists (230) and total points (663). The Sea Gulls advanced to the program's fifth overall national semifinal, fourth in the past five seasons, and have finished as national runner-up twice in Nestor's tenure.

In his eight seasons as head coach, Nestor holds a remarkable .887 winning percentage (157-20) and has advanced to the NCAA tournament in each of the past eight years. His overall women's lacrosse coaching record is 236-59-1 (.797) in 16 seasons.

As a by-product of the team's success, Nestor has been named CAC Coach of the Year eight times (2003-10), had 42 players named to the all-conference team; which includes the 2005 Player of the Year Linda Ackermann, 2006 Player of the Year Kate Scott, 2007 & 2008 Player of the Year Sue Ackermann and 2010 Player of the Year Kim Cudmore, had 27 players earn Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-American honors and had four players earn national position player of the years awards in Kate Scott (2006 National Attacker of the Year), Kelly Phillips (2007 National Defender of the Year), Sarah McKinley (2009 National Defender of the Year) and Sonja Stuart (2009 National Goalie of the Year). In addition, Nestor was named IWLCA's Chesapeake Region Coach of the Year in 2004, '05, '07 and '08 and the IWLCA South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 2009. He was selected as the 2005 IWLCA Division III Coach of the Year.

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 (MD) State (1991-92), Colby-Sawyer (NH) (1992-94) and Lafayette (PA) (1994). Nestor was the head coach at Colby-Sawyer for two seasons where his teams went 6-19.

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.

Coach Nestor's Record at SU