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News Release

UMBC Hires Former James Madison Standout Kelly Berger as Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach

7/18/2007

Kelly Berger was a two-time All-American and a Tewaaraton Trophy nominee at James Madison.

Baltimore-UMBC head women’s lacrosse coach Courtney Connor announced today the hiring of Kelly Berger as assistant coach. Berger joins the Retrievers after an outstanding four-year playing career at James Madison University.

Berger was a four-year starter a two-year team captain at James Madison, where she led the Dukes in scoring in each of the last three seasons and finished her career in 2007 ranking second all-time in career goals (184) and points (262) and third in assists (78). Last season, she helped lead the Dukes to a 13-5 record and the Colonial Athletic Association finals, where she scored four goals in a 15-13 loss to Hofstra.

A highly decorated midfielder, Berger is a two-time IWLCA All-American and three-time IWLCA All-South Region team member. She was named CAA Player of the Year in 2006, and she was selected to the CAA all-conference first team in each of the last three seasons. Berger was also named CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2006, when she scored six goals to lead the Dukes to the CAA championship.

A Tewaaraton Trophy nominee, Berger was also named MVP of the IWLCA North/South Senior All-Star Game, when she led the south squad to an 18-8 victory with four goals and an assist. She was a member of the U.S. Lacrosse Developmental Team in 2005-06, and she is currently a member of the Elite Team.

Berger was named James Madison team MVP in 2005 and 2006, and she earned team Rookie of the Year honors in 2004. She was also a finalist for the Greater Madison Athlete of the Year last season.

“I think Kelly will be an energetic, hard-working coach who knows what it takes to compete at the highest level,” Connor said. “I’m confident that she shares my vision for a successful program and thus will help bring UMBC to the top level. I’ve known Kelly and her family for the past five years, and I know lacrosse is a huge part of her life, and I’m excited about having the opportunity to work with her.”

Berger graduated from James Madison in May with her degree in kinesiology with a concentration in sport management. A native of Jessup, Md., she attended Hammond High School, where she graduated as the school’s career scoring leader. Her brother, Stephen, was a three-time All-American at Division III Washington College and currently plays for the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse, where he played in the all-star game at the beginning of July.

Berger joins a UMBC staff that also includes Quinn Carney, a former All-American player at the University of Maryland who played on four national championship teams from 1998-2001.