Catawba College seeks a Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach for this full-time exempt position. The head coach will be responsible for managing all aspects of a competitive and successful NCAA Division II Women’s Lacrosse program with the primary responsibility being the planning and instruction of lacrosse skills. The successful candidate must have a strong commitment to the academic success of the student-athletes in the program that leads to graduation through a positive collegiate experience. This position is full-time and 12-month and reports to the Deputy Director of Athletics.
Duties and Responsibilities
Compliance with NCAA, SAC and Catawba policies and regulations
The head coach must be efficient at individualized and team instruction with emphasis on teaching all skills and strategies associated with lacrosse
Recruiting quality student-athletes that are committed to the Catawba College mission within the allotted scholarship structure and limits
Commitment to and the management of program budget
Coordinate and maintain regular communication with Catawba athletics staff, including the Senior Athletics Administration, Compliance, Sports Medicine, Media Relations, Video, Sport Performance, and Facilities Operations
Provide academic support and oversight for all student-athletes
Actively assist with program fundraising and development of alumni and community relations
Serve on campus and departmental committees as requested
Other duties as assigned
About Catawba
Catawba College has 41 buildings on 276 wooded acres on a residential campus. Catawba is known for its 189 acre on-campus ecological preserve. Ranked as one of the best colleges in the south, Catawba offers 70 academic majors to approximately 1,300 students representing 34 U.S. states and 19 foreign countries. Students are instructed by 80 full-time faculty, more than 83% of whom hold the highest degree in their field. With an endowment of over $100 million and with the recent elimination of Catawba’s debt, Catawba is well positioned for a thriving future.
Catawba provides an education focused on an institutional philosophy of a liberal education, which entails a broad range of knowledge, intellectual and practical skills, and individual and social responsibility fostered and developed in all academic programs. Catawba is a learning community that provides students unique opportunities to explore vocation, helping students to consider their calling, their passions, and their purpose as they prepare to reach their highest potential. Catawba’s Mission is to provide “students an education rich in personal attention that blends the knowledge and competencies of liberal studies with career preparation” and to enable “students to reach their highest potential while becoming responsible citizens.” More information about Catawba College is located at www.catawba.edu.
About Salisbury, NC
Catawba College is located in Salisbury, North Carolina, a historic Southern city (pop. 34,000) located 45 minutes from the greater Charlotte area and the Greensboro and Winston-Salem areas.
In Salisbury, you will find both a quiet countryside filled with wineries and pick-your-own farms, and a bustling downtown district with breweries, historic trolleys, a thriving arts scene, and more.
Catawba students have the distinct advantage of attending college in the piedmont region of beautiful North Carolina, where residents enjoy four mild seasons and plenty of opportunities to explore the area’s natural treasures. Students also have access to some of the best and most rewarding volunteer opportunities both on campus and off campus in the local Salisbury-Rowan community.
About Athletics
Catawba athletic programs currently consist of men and women participating in its 24 NCAA Division II sports teams that offer more than 154.25 full athletic scholarships. The teams collectively represent more than 600 student athletes who compete in facilities that rival those of larger institutions, with more playing time and personal attention.
Approximately 44% of Catawba College’s students are student-athletes. The vibrant athletics program is embraced by students, faculty, and the entire Catawba community. Student-athletes are among the most prominent leaders within the student body, and student-athletes regularly prove their pursuit of success on playing fields does not prevent them from engaging with their classmates and community in substantial ways. Catawba’s student-athletes are retained at a higher rate and have higher GPA’s than their peers.
Men’s sports include Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, and Volleyball. Women’s sports include Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Cross Country, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, and Volleyball.
Athletic Facilities
Shuford Stadium has been the home to the Catawba women’s lacrosse team since its inception in 2001. With a seating capacity of 4,000 and potential accommodation of up to 5,000 spectators, Shuford Stadium features field turf and a modern video scoreboard. Prior to the latest reconstruction for the beginning of the 2003 season, the last major renovation to the stadium was the original Hurley Press Box facility that was built in the early 1970s. The Hurley Press Box is a four-level facility. The bottom level consists of two sets of men's and women's restrooms and two concession areas. The second floor is currently used for offices, while the third floor is the Wurster President's Box which can seat 49 people. The top floor has areas for two radio broadcasts, booths for both home and visiting coaches and filming, as well as the main media area.
Nearly 300,000 bricks were used in the new construction of the press box and the outside wall. The new renovation also includes concessions and rest rooms on the visiting side of the facility. Shuford Stadium also hosts football and men’s and women’s track and field. A new field turf was installed in 2022.
The Julius W. Abernethy Physical Education Center, is the primary home of the Catawba men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s volleyball, has a seating capacity of 3,500 for. The facility is home to Athletic offices, the Johnson Pool, and is used extensively for intercollegiate athletics and various athletic camps during the summer months. The Abernethy Center is also the home for the men’s and women’s swimming teams.
Newman Park has been home to the Catawba baseball team since 1926, with the original grandstand erected in 1934. Catawba recently completed a renovation and rebuild of this facility and are currently construction and 8 million dollar grandstand. Frock Fields hosts Catawba’s softball and soccer complexes, as well as practice fields for lacrosse, soccer, and football.
Frock Fields hosts Catawba’s softball and soccer complexes, as well as practice fields for lacrosse, soccer, and football.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred
Successful collegiate coaching experience is preferred
Demonstrated expertise in field instruction and knowledge of the game
Ability to recruit student-athletes that will be successful in the classroom, on the field and in the community
Ability to lead, mentor and motivate student-athletes
Strong communication, organizational, problem solving and interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to produce and manage a competitive lacrosse program are important
Dedication and contributions to “Catawba Culture”
Developing and maintaining positive alumni relations
Current CPR and First Aid certification will be required
Valid North Carolina driver’s license will be required
Application Procedures
Interested candidates must send via email in one PDF file a letter of application, resume and contact information for three references to hr@catawba.eduand to Dr. Kurt Patberg at kurt.patberg@MMTH.co. Dr. Patberg of Mammoth Sports Consulting will be conducting the search. Position inquiries and questions should be forwarded to him at the email above.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Equal Opportunity
Catawba College is an equal opportunity employer. As such, the College is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status, unless allowed by law and deemed necessary to the operation of the College. The College complies with all federal, state, and local laws governing non-discrimination.
Founded in 1851 in Newton, NC, Catawba College was started by German pioneers who had traveled from eastern Pennsylvania to settle in the valleys of the Haw, Yadkin, and Catawba Rivers. In 1890, Catawba became a coeducational institution and the first woman graduate completed her studies in 1893. In 1925, Catawba moved and re-opened to its current location in Salisbury, NC, which is about 45 minutes from Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte, two hours from the mountains, and four hours from the beaches.
