University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Track & Field
LaFreniere, Julie
Julie LaFreniere
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- julie@admin.umass.edu
- Phone:
- 427-3643
Julie LaFreniere has been a part of the foundation of the UMass women's cross country and track and field teams, playing an instrumental role in both programs' rise to prominence since the beginning of their existence at Massachusetts. She enters her 33rd year at the helm in 2019-20 as the director of women's track and field and cross country.
LaFreniere has accumulated several coaching and team accolades during her time leading the Minutewomen. She was named the Atlantic 10 women's cross country Coach of the Year six times (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999) and has led the Minutewomen to seven A-10 cross country championships.
In 1995, she added her first NCAA 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 Championship. In 2017 LaFreniere guided Heather MacLean to her second straight A-10 individual title, a New England individual title and an NCAA appearance where MacLean finished 26th to become UMass’ first women’s cross country All-American.
In addition to her cross country accomplishments, LaFreniere has also accumulated success in track and field. She led the Minutewomen to their first-ever A-10 outdoor track and field championship in 1999, and was named Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year in the same season. LaFreniere led the Minutewomen back to another title in 2001, and once again received Coach of the Year honors from the A-10.
In 2008, LaFreniere sent Christina DeRosa to the NCAA Track & Field National Championships, where she placed 18th overall in the 10,000 meters. DeRosa was LaFreniere's fourth track and field performer to compete in the NCAA Championships. MacLean became LaFreniere’s most recent NCAA qualifier and track and field All-American in the 800 meter run in 2018. On LaFreniere's watch, the program added its fifth All-American in the history of women's cross country and track and field in 2019 as Jada Harris earned Honorable Mention All-America honors outdoors in high jump.
LaFreniere has also found success while coaching the UMass indoor track and field team. She was named the 1996 Atlantic 10 Indoor track and field Coach of the Year, and led the Minutewomen to A-10 indoor titles in 1996 and 1998.
In 2015-16 UMass added its third Atlantic 10 Championship for indoor track and field, while LaFreniere once again took home A-10 Coach of the Year honors. The banner season was also highlighted by the program’s first-ever indoor track and field All-American, as LaFreniere guided Heather MacLean to an NCAA Championships appearance and a ninth-place finish in mile.
In addition to competing in the A-10, LaFreniere's squads have also participated in the New England and ECAC championships. In 1995, she coached the first UMass track and field All-American when Kelly Liljeblad placed fifth in the 10,000m at the NCAA Championships.
After graduating from UMass in 1977, LaFreniere held head coaching positions at the high school level for four years. She later returned to UMass 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.
As a student-athlete, LaFreniere helped lead the UMass women's cross country team to the New England Championship and a ninth-place finish at the first AIAW women's national championship. She left her mark on the Minutewomen squad when she set school records in the half-mile and mile, and received MVP awards for both cross country and track and field in 1976 and 1977. LaFreniere is a member of the Gardner (Mass.) High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and currently resides in Petersham, Mass.
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LaFreniere has accumulated several coaching and team accolades during her time leading the Minutewomen. She was named the Atlantic 10 women's cross country Coach of the Year six times (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999) and has led the Minutewomen to seven A-10 cross country championships.
In 1995, she added her first NCAA 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 Championship. In 2017 LaFreniere guided Heather MacLean to her second straight A-10 individual title, a New England individual title and an NCAA appearance where MacLean finished 26th to become UMass’ first women’s cross country All-American.
In addition to her cross country accomplishments, LaFreniere has also accumulated success in track and field. She led the Minutewomen to their first-ever A-10 outdoor track and field championship in 1999, and was named Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year in the same season. LaFreniere led the Minutewomen back to another title in 2001, and once again received Coach of the Year honors from the A-10.
In 2008, LaFreniere sent Christina DeRosa to the NCAA Track & Field National Championships, where she placed 18th overall in the 10,000 meters. DeRosa was LaFreniere's fourth track and field performer to compete in the NCAA Championships. MacLean became LaFreniere’s most recent NCAA qualifier and track and field All-American in the 800 meter run in 2018. On LaFreniere's watch, the program added its fifth All-American in the history of women's cross country and track and field in 2019 as Jada Harris earned Honorable Mention All-America honors outdoors in high jump.
LaFreniere has also found success while coaching the UMass indoor track and field team. She was named the 1996 Atlantic 10 Indoor track and field Coach of the Year, and led the Minutewomen to A-10 indoor titles in 1996 and 1998.
In 2015-16 UMass added its third Atlantic 10 Championship for indoor track and field, while LaFreniere once again took home A-10 Coach of the Year honors. The banner season was also highlighted by the program’s first-ever indoor track and field All-American, as LaFreniere guided Heather MacLean to an NCAA Championships appearance and a ninth-place finish in mile.
In addition to competing in the A-10, LaFreniere's squads have also participated in the New England and ECAC championships. In 1995, she coached the first UMass track and field All-American when Kelly Liljeblad placed fifth in the 10,000m at the NCAA Championships.
After graduating from UMass in 1977, LaFreniere held head coaching positions at the high school level for four years. She later returned to UMass 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.
As a student-athlete, LaFreniere helped lead the UMass women's cross country team to the New England Championship and a ninth-place finish at the first AIAW women's national championship. She left her mark on the Minutewomen squad when she set school records in the half-mile and mile, and received MVP awards for both cross country and track and field in 1976 and 1977. LaFreniere is a member of the Gardner (Mass.) High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and currently resides in Petersham, Mass.
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| LaFreniere's Year-By-Year Head Coaching Record | ||||||||
| Cross Country | Indoor Track | Outdoor Track | Season Notes | |||||
| Year | Place | Year | Place | Year | Place | |||
| 1988 | NC | 1988-89 | NC | 1988-89 | NC | -- | ||
| 1989 | 3rd | 1989-90 | NC | 1989-90 | NC | -- | ||
| 1990 | 3rd | 1990-91 | NC | 1990-91 | NC | -- | ||
| 1991 | 1st | 1991-92 | NC | 1991-92 | NC | A-10 XC Champions, COTY (XC) | ||
| 1992 | 1st | 1992-93 | T-2nd | 1992-93 | NC | A-10 XC Champions, COTY (XC) | ||
| 1993 | 2nd | 1993-94 | -- | 1993-94 | NC | |||
| 1994 | 3rd | 1994-95 | 2nd | 1994-95 | NC | |||
| 1995 | 1st | 1995-96 | 1st | 1995-96 | NC | A-10 XC & Indoor Champions, COTY (XC, I) | ||
| 1996 | 1st | 1996-97 | 2nd | 1996-97 | 2nd | A-10 XC Champions, COTY (XC) | ||
| 1997 | 1st | 1997-98 | 1st | 1997-98 | 2nd | A-10 XC & Indoor Champions, COTY (XC, I) | ||
| 1998 | 1st | 1998-99 | 2nd | 1998-99 | 1st | A-10 XC & Outdoor Champions, COTY (XC, O) | ||
| 1999 | 1st | 1999-00 | 5th | 1999-00 | 3rd | A-10 XC Champions, COTY (XC) | ||
| 2000 | 2nd | 2000-01 | 3rd | 2000-01 | 1st | A-10 Outdoor Champions, COTY (O) | ||
| 2001 | 4th | 2001-02 | 6th | 2001-02 | 2nd | -- | ||
| 2002 | 8th | 2002-03 | 6th | 2002-03 | 5th | -- | ||
| 2003 | T-8th | 2003-04 | 8th | 2003-04 | 3rd | -- | ||
| 2004 | 5th | 2004-05 | 6th | 2004-05 | 7th | -- | ||
| 2005 | 9th | 2005-06 | 9th | 2005-06 | 8th | -- | ||
| 2006 | 6th | 2006-07 | 10th | 2006-07 | 10th | -- | ||
| 2007 | 6th | 2007-08 | 7th | 2007-08 | 6th | -- | ||
| 2008 | 7th | 2008-09 | 6th | 2008-09 | 6th | -- | ||
| 2009 | 3rd | 2009-10 | 7th | 2009-10 | 6th | -- | ||
| 2010 | 8th | 2010-11 | 7th | 2010-11 | 8th | -- | ||
| 2011 | 10th | 2011-12 | 11th | 2011-12 | 8th | -- | ||
| 2012 | 12th | 2012-13 | 12th | 2012-13 | 7th | -- | ||
| 2013 | 5th | 2013-14 | 6th | 2013-14 | T-6th | -- | ||
| 2014 | 6th | 2014-15 | 4th | 2014-15 | 3rd | -- | ||
| 2015 | 4th | 2015-16 | 1st | 2015-16 | 5th | A-10 Indoor Champions, COTY (I) | ||
| 2016 | 5th | 2016-17 | 5th | 2016-17 | 5th | -- | ||
| 2017 | 4th | 2017-18 | 6th | 2017-18 | 4th | -- | ||
| 2018 | 13th | 2018-19 | 3rd | 2018-19 | 3rd | -- | ||
| 12 Atlantic 10 Championships (7 Cross Country, 3 Indoor Track, 2 Outdoor Track) 12x Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year (Cross Country - 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 | Indoor Track - 1996, 1998, 2016 | Outdoor Track - 1999, 2001) |
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MWT&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
