University of Massachusets Athletics
1982 UMass Lacrosse Team Featured At NCAA Championship Weekend
June 01, 2006 | Women's Lacrosse
June 1, 2006
Complete PDF - Minutewomen Make History, by Greg Seiter
Reprinted with permission from the NCAA
It was 25 years ago that UMass won the first ever NCAA Championship in women's lacrosse. The Minutewomen posted a 10-0 record during the 1982 season and defeated Trenton State for the title.
During their title run, UMass defeated Boston University (18-0), Harvard (5-3), Dartmouth (13-3), New Hampshire (5-4), and Boston College (10-2).
The Minutewomen followed their NCAA title with a pair of fourth-place finishes in 1983 and 1984.
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The NCAA has celebrated year-long the 25 years of women's inter-collegiate championships. For more information, check out the NCAA's 25th Anniversary Site: http://web1.ncaa.org/womens25/index2.jsp.
Excerpts From The Feature Story
"Head coach Pam Hixon expected the 1982 season to be a 'rebuilding year'
for Massachusetts' women's lacrosse team. After all, the Minutewomen were going to be without the services of several key players on both offense and defense.
In addition to anticipated graduation losses from the year before, Massachusetts also had to find replacements for attack wing Sue Caples and defender Judy Strong, who each left school unexpectedly to play for the U.S. Elite field hockey team.
But a solid core of returning players for the Minutewomen refused to accept the fact that, at least on paper, they weren't expected to be anything more than above average.
However, ultimately it was the determination of those returnees combined with the rapid development of a talented freshman class and the addition of a key transfer from Arizona that resulted in a perfect 9-0 regular-season record for Massachusetts that year and a historic national title in what was the first NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship."
"At the time, I guess I was pretty naive," said Dr. Susan (Kosloski) Auffinger. "I didn't really have a sense for what it meant to win an NCAA championship, especially the very first one in lacrosse. Now, when I watch NCAA competition, I have a true appreciation for what it's all about.
"I keep my 1982 plaque prominently displayed," she added. "Every time I walk past it, I think of what a great team, a great moment and a great season that was."