Christine Halfpenny Named Head Lacrosse Coach

Halfpenny Takes Over Tribe Program After Three Seasons as an Assistant at Duke

07/06/06 3:00PM

Williamsburg - Christine Halfpenny, a three-year assistant at Duke University, has been selected as the new head women’s lacrosse coach at the College of William and Mary, pending approval by the Board of Visitors. Senior Associate Athletics Director Barbara Blosser made the announcement today.

Halfpenny, the sixth head coach in the College’s 37-year varsity history, replaces Tara Brown, who resigned in May after seven seasons as head coach.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to lead William and Mary lacrosse back to the success it has had in the past,” said Halfpenny. “Obviously, William and Mary is a program with rich tradition and history, and I am just thrilled to be a part of the future here. Tara Brown worked hard to build the program to where it is today, and I am looking forward to working with these players and building upon the foundation that is in place. There really is endless potential here, and I have a great vision for the future of Tribe lacrosse.”

Halfpenny was part of a Duke staff that guided the Blue Devils to the 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including national semifinal appearances in each of the past two seasons. While in Durham, Halfpenny’s duties included serving as the head recruiting coordinator, team academic coordinator, strength and conditioning liaison, travel coordinator and compliance coordinator. The past two seasons, Halfpenny has served as the goalkeeper coach, mentoring Megan Huether to First Team All-America honors in 2005, the same year the standout netminder was named the IWLCA/US Lacrosse Goalie of the Year.

In each of her three seasons, Halfpenny’s recruiting classes were ranked among the nation’s top four, according to Inside Lacrosse, and included the nation’s top class in 2005. She showed an equal commitment to work in the classroom, as the Blue Devils posted the nation’s top team GPA (3.46) in 2004 and the nation’s second-best team GPA (3.416) in 2005. Additionally, Halfpenny saw over 50 Blue Devils named to the ACC Honor Roll between 2004 and 2005.

Prior to her stint at Duke, Halfpenny was an assistant coach at her alma mater, Virginia Tech, during the 2002-03 academic year. In Blacksburg, Halfpenny served as the Hokies’ head recruiting coordinator, travel coordinator and offensive coordinator. Halfpenny began her collegiate coaching career at Brown University as an assistant during the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

An active camp coach and counselor since 2000, Halfpenny directed the Duke Winter Lacrosse Camp in 2004-05 and has served as an assistant director at a variety of camps across the country. She is also an active member of both US Lacrosse and the IWLCA, serving on the coaches association growth committee in 2002-03.

A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, Halfpenny was a four-year letterwinner in lacrosse and a starter on the 1999 Hokie team that captured the Atlantic 10 Championship. She received the team’s Coaches Award that year and was a member of the Athletic Directors Honor Roll in 1998 and 1999.

After graduating from Virginia Tech, Halfpenny worked at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, where she was the head coach of the boys and girls varsity swimming team and assistant varsity tennis coach. She guided the boys swim team to Valley District, Northwest Region and AAA State titles in 2000.

A native of Latham, N.Y., Halfpenny and her husband, Matt, have one son, Jackson, born on December 3, 2005.