Putnam elevated to Associate Head Coach
6/24/2010 8:00:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
 |
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh head coach Jill Redfern has announced that Kelley Putnam has been elevated to associate head coach of the Mountain Hawks women’s lacrosse program. Putnam and the Mountain Hawks recently put the finishing touches on one of the finest season’s in school history, a year in which Lehigh went 14-4, won the Patriot League regular season championship, and reached the finals of the Patriot League Tournament.
“Kelley has fully invested herself in our program over the past two years and has earned this promotion,” explained Redfern, the 2010 Patriot League Coach of the Year. “She has established herself as an exceptional recruiter, and the outstanding young women choosing our program reflect this. We prioritize player and team development at Lehigh and Kelley's contributions on the field and through the use of film instruction have been invaluable.”
Putnam recently completed her second season as Lehigh’s top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. The Mountain Hawks have won 25 out of 35 games in Putnam’s two seasons and advanced to the Patriot League tournament in both years.
A native of New Jersey, Putnam enjoyed a very successful playing career at Johns Hopkins where she was a four year starter, served as captain during her senior year and captured the program’s Rookie of the Year honor as a freshman. While at Johns Hopkins Putnam was selected to participate in the NCAA Division I North-South All-Star Game in 2006 after a career in which she started all four years and served as captain during her senior year. The program’s Rookie of the Year in 2003, Putnam helped lead Johns Hopkins to its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2004, and a repeat appearance in 2005.
Putnam came to Lehigh following a two-year stint as a Teach for America Corps member where she was part of a nationwide movement to increase educational equity by teaching in an underprivileged school district.
“Kelley is an excellent teacher of the game and the pride she takes in Lehigh Lacrosse is infectious,” added Redfern. “We cannot wait to get underway with our new team when they arrive on campus in August.”
The Mountain Hawks lose just three seniors from last year’s team and return six All-Patriot League selections including Defensive Player of the Year and All-Region performer Lauren Dykstra.
