By Stacy Troiano
New head coach Abby Morgan had just finished her third season as an assistant coach for the Pride when it was announced that former head coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe would leave for a coaching job at James Madison University. Sound confusing? It never was for Morgan.
“It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time,” Morgan said. “I had great people to work under, and I learned a lot. I felt that I was ready for this.”
In August, Morgan was named Hofstra’s eighth head coach in the history of the women’s lacrosse program, and at age 27, the youngest in the CAA. She came to Hofstra in the 2003-04 season as an assistant after a two year stint as an assistant at Monmouth University.
Morgan played four years of lacrosse at the University of Connecticut, captaining the Huskies in her junior and senior seasons. She finished her collegiate career as UConn’s single-season and career assist leader, and holding the third rank on the total points list.
In her time as a Hofstra assistant, Morgan focused mostly on the defense but has been able to adjust well. She took over a team of players who she got to know over her years as an assistant and believes she is prepared to lead the experienced squad to a CAA championship and beyond.
“Sometimes starting a coaching job means going into a program you know nothing about,” Morgan said. “I think it’s an advantage of me because there’s no reason for us to start new. We’ve been very close for the past three years.”
Morgan understands the potential of the team she has and says she and her squad are looking for nothing less than that ever-elusive CAA championship, and she’s ready to lead them there.
“I’m prepared and I feel like it’s showing,” Morgan said. “I’ve got a great staff who help me so much, and then on the field we’re just trying to find out who we’re going to be. We just need to make decisions on what needs to be changed and what should remain the same for us to be successful.”