University of Massachusets Athletics
Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS
LaFreniere To Retire Following 2019-20 Cross Country/Track & Field Seasons
September 03, 2019 | Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
The 12-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year is entering her 33rd and final year at the helm for her alma mater.
AMHERST, Mass. – Twelve-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year Julie LaFreniere has announced that she will retire from her position as Director of Women's Track and Field and Cross Country at the University of Massachusetts following the end of the 2019-20 academic year. LaFreniere is entering her 33rd season at the helm for her alma mater, having graduated from UMass in 1977 as a member of the university's inaugural women's track and field and cross country programs.
Â
"I would like to thank Julie for her tremendous service to the University and our athletics program for the last 33 years," Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford said. "Her retirement completes a relationship with UMass that started in 1974 as a student and member of our inaugural women's cross country and track and field programs. Julie's hallmark has been her service to our student-athletes first and foremost, which has created a positive experience for hundreds of Minutewomen. It is with great appreciation for her life's work that we wish Julie all the best in retirement after her final campaign at UMass."
Â
"It has been a privilege and honor to be associated with UMass and our women's cross country / track & field program for over four decades, initially as an athlete in the inaugural cross country/track teams in 1975-76 and then as a member of the coaching staff," said LaFreniere. "Working with our student-athletes is the greatest role of being a coach. I want to acknowledge the strong, dedicated women who are my current and former student-athletes who will always be a part of our UMass cross country/track & field family. I am grateful to my staff and administration who will take the baton and bring this program to new heights."
Â
LaFreniere, to date, has been named the Atlantic 10 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year seven times (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999) and has led the Minutewomen to seven A-10 cross country championships, most recently in 1999.
Â
In 1995, she added her first NCAA cross country qualifier to her list of accomplishments when Rebecca Donaghue qualified for the NCAA Championship, finishing 50th in the national competition. Donaghue qualified again in 1996 under LaFreniere's tutelage. LaFreniere added another runner to her list of NCAA qualifiers, when Kristin Cisowski competed in the 2000 and 2001 NCAA Cross Country Championships. In 2017, LaFreniere guided Heather MacLean to her second straight A-10 individual title, a New England individual championship and an NCAA appearance where MacLean finished 26th to become UMass' first women's cross country All-American.
Â
In addition to her cross country accomplishments, LaFreniere has led the Minutewomen to three indoor (1996, 1998, 2016) Atlantic 10 Championships and two outdoor Atlantic 10 Championships (1999 and 2001), garnering A-10 Coach of the Year awards on each of those occasions.
Â
Members of UMass' women's track and field program have earned four All-America honors during LaFreniere's tenure, three of which have come in the past three years. In addition to her 2017 cross county award, MacLean collected All-America accolades indoors in 2016 (mile), the first in program history, and outdoors in 2018 (800m run). Jada Harris earned Honorable Mention All-America honors outdoors in high jump in 2019.
Â
In 1995, LaFreniere coached the first UMass women's track and field All-American when Kelly Liljeblad placed fifth in the 10,000m at the NCAA Championships.
Â
After graduating from UMass in 1977, LaFreniere held head coaching positions at the high school level for four years before returning to her alma mater to pursue a master's degree in sport management. Upon receiving her graduate degree in 1986, LaFreniere was named the Minutewomen's head cross country and track and field coach in 1987.
Â
As a student-athlete, LaFreniere helped lead the UMass women's cross country team to the 1975 New England Championship and a ninth-place finish at the first AIAW women's national championship and set school records in the half-mile and mile on the track. She received team MVP awards for both cross country and track and field in 1976 and 1977.
Â
"I would like to thank Julie for her tremendous service to the University and our athletics program for the last 33 years," Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford said. "Her retirement completes a relationship with UMass that started in 1974 as a student and member of our inaugural women's cross country and track and field programs. Julie's hallmark has been her service to our student-athletes first and foremost, which has created a positive experience for hundreds of Minutewomen. It is with great appreciation for her life's work that we wish Julie all the best in retirement after her final campaign at UMass."
Â
"It has been a privilege and honor to be associated with UMass and our women's cross country / track & field program for over four decades, initially as an athlete in the inaugural cross country/track teams in 1975-76 and then as a member of the coaching staff," said LaFreniere. "Working with our student-athletes is the greatest role of being a coach. I want to acknowledge the strong, dedicated women who are my current and former student-athletes who will always be a part of our UMass cross country/track & field family. I am grateful to my staff and administration who will take the baton and bring this program to new heights."
Â
LaFreniere, to date, has been named the Atlantic 10 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year seven times (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999) and has led the Minutewomen to seven A-10 cross country championships, most recently in 1999.
Â
In 1995, she added her first NCAA cross country qualifier to her list of accomplishments when Rebecca Donaghue qualified for the NCAA Championship, finishing 50th in the national competition. Donaghue qualified again in 1996 under LaFreniere's tutelage. LaFreniere added another runner to her list of NCAA qualifiers, when Kristin Cisowski competed in the 2000 and 2001 NCAA Cross Country Championships. In 2017, LaFreniere guided Heather MacLean to her second straight A-10 individual title, a New England individual championship and an NCAA appearance where MacLean finished 26th to become UMass' first women's cross country All-American.
Â
In addition to her cross country accomplishments, LaFreniere has led the Minutewomen to three indoor (1996, 1998, 2016) Atlantic 10 Championships and two outdoor Atlantic 10 Championships (1999 and 2001), garnering A-10 Coach of the Year awards on each of those occasions.
Â
Members of UMass' women's track and field program have earned four All-America honors during LaFreniere's tenure, three of which have come in the past three years. In addition to her 2017 cross county award, MacLean collected All-America accolades indoors in 2016 (mile), the first in program history, and outdoors in 2018 (800m run). Jada Harris earned Honorable Mention All-America honors outdoors in high jump in 2019.
Â
In 1995, LaFreniere coached the first UMass women's track and field All-American when Kelly Liljeblad placed fifth in the 10,000m at the NCAA Championships.
Â
After graduating from UMass in 1977, LaFreniere held head coaching positions at the high school level for four years before returning to her alma mater to pursue a master's degree in sport management. Upon receiving her graduate degree in 1986, LaFreniere was named the Minutewomen's head cross country and track and field coach in 1987.
Â
As a student-athlete, LaFreniere helped lead the UMass women's cross country team to the 1975 New England Championship and a ninth-place finish at the first AIAW women's national championship and set school records in the half-mile and mile on the track. She received team MVP awards for both cross country and track and field in 1976 and 1977.
Players Mentioned
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & FieldMWT&F Highlights vs. UMass Lowell and Northeastern (04/03/21)
Sunday, April 04
Senior Female Scholar Athlete Award SAMYS 2020
Tuesday, April 28
Maroon Excellence Award SAMYS 2020
Tuesday, April 28
Female Team of the Year SAMYS 2020
Tuesday, April 28