September 27, 2006

GENEVA, N.Y.—The NCAA recently selected William Smith College to host the 2007 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship, May 19-20, on McCooey Field.

“We look forward to hosting the 2007 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship,” Hobart and William Smith Colleges President Mark Gearan said. “William Smith has a proud history of hosting important NCAA Championships and our campus is excited to play this important role. This is an exciting time for William Smith athletics as our student-athletes continue to bring great distinction with their excellence on the playing fields.”

The Herons will host two national championships this academic year. The 2006 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship also will be played on McCooey Field, Nov. 17-18. It is the first time a Division III college or university has hosted more than one predetermined site NCAA team championship in the same year.

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will share this distinction when the Titans host the track and field and baseball championships this spring.

“William Smith College is proud to have been selected to host the 23rd annual NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship,” William Smith College Director of Athletics Deb Steward said. “The NCAA continues to recognize our commitment to women’s athletics, the quality of our event staff and the support of our community. We are committed to providing a first-class event for all participants and look forward to showcasing McCooey Field, the Colleges, Geneva, and the Finger Lakes region in the spring of 2007.

“I encourage everyone to come out to watch these outstanding student-athletes in both the field hockey and the lacrosse championships. It’s an opportunity to see the top teams in Division III athletics.”

Completed during the fall of 2000, McCooey Field features an AstroTurf 12 surface, seating for 1,500 fans, lights for night games and practices, and a hi-tech press box that features standard phone lines, high-speed Internet connections, and wireless Internet coverage.

William Smith is no stranger to the NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship. The Herons have reached the championship round 11 times since the NCAA instituted a Division III tournament in 1985, advancing to the title game five times.

Head Coach Pat Genovese is entering her 34th season at the helm of the Heron lacrosse program. The only head coach the program has ever known is the Division III leader in career wins, sporting a record of 328-119-1. Genovese returns 19 players, including nine starters, from the 2006 squad that posted a 10-6 overall record and won the Liberty League regular season championship.

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