Sowry Named NFHCA All-West Region Coach of the Year
December 08, 2016 | Field Hockey
Field Hockey's Justine Sowry becomes the first UofL field hockey coach to earn regional coach of the year honors
The University of Louisville's Justine Sowry has been named the Front Rush/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) West Region Field Hockey Coach of the Year.
"I am humbled to be recognized by my colleagues in our region, so many of whom are talented coaches who had equally great seasons," said Sowry. "This absolutely is a coaching team award. Lucas Piccioli, Olivia Netzler-Gray, Victoria Stratton and our performance team play such an important role every year."
Sowry earns the honor after guiding the 2016 Cardinals to a 15-6 overall record and their third-straight NCAA appearance. UofL also posted 3-3 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to finish in a four-way tie for third. The Cardinals were ranked ninth in the final NFHCA Coaches' poll after spending 10 weeks in the top 10, reaching as high as No. 6. Louisville opened the season on a six-game win streak and went on to post a 10-2 record at Trager Stadium including a pair of shutout victories against top 10 teams (No. 3 North Carolina and No. 6 Northwestern).
Along with this season's team accomplishments, a program-best six players earned NFHCA All-West Region honors while a school-record five were named to the All-ACC teams. Additionally, for the second straight season, two Cardinals were named NFHCA All-Americans.
Statistically, UofL finished the season ranked fifth in the nation with six shutouts and a 1.22 team goals against average. Senior All-America selection Erin McCrudden was second in the nation with 18 assists while fellow All-American Ayeisha McFerran was sixth in the nation with a 1.27 goals against average and seventh with a .755 save percentage.
This marks the first NFHCA Regional Coach of the Year honor in UofL's history, but is the third such accolade for Sowry, who also earned Northeast Region Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2010.
In her six seasons at Louisville, Sowry has guided the Cardinals to an 80-41 record with six players earning NFHCA All-American honors and 22 named to All-Region teams. In 10 seasons as a head coach, Sowry carries a 138-72 overall record.
"I am humbled to be recognized by my colleagues in our region, so many of whom are talented coaches who had equally great seasons," said Sowry. "This absolutely is a coaching team award. Lucas Piccioli, Olivia Netzler-Gray, Victoria Stratton and our performance team play such an important role every year."
Sowry earns the honor after guiding the 2016 Cardinals to a 15-6 overall record and their third-straight NCAA appearance. UofL also posted 3-3 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to finish in a four-way tie for third. The Cardinals were ranked ninth in the final NFHCA Coaches' poll after spending 10 weeks in the top 10, reaching as high as No. 6. Louisville opened the season on a six-game win streak and went on to post a 10-2 record at Trager Stadium including a pair of shutout victories against top 10 teams (No. 3 North Carolina and No. 6 Northwestern).
Along with this season's team accomplishments, a program-best six players earned NFHCA All-West Region honors while a school-record five were named to the All-ACC teams. Additionally, for the second straight season, two Cardinals were named NFHCA All-Americans.
Statistically, UofL finished the season ranked fifth in the nation with six shutouts and a 1.22 team goals against average. Senior All-America selection Erin McCrudden was second in the nation with 18 assists while fellow All-American Ayeisha McFerran was sixth in the nation with a 1.27 goals against average and seventh with a .755 save percentage.
This marks the first NFHCA Regional Coach of the Year honor in UofL's history, but is the third such accolade for Sowry, who also earned Northeast Region Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2010.
In her six seasons at Louisville, Sowry has guided the Cardinals to an 80-41 record with six players earning NFHCA All-American honors and 22 named to All-Region teams. In 10 seasons as a head coach, Sowry carries a 138-72 overall record.
