FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2014
MANCHESTER, N.H. – Saint Anselm College Director of Athletics Jim Herlihy announced that Amber Zimmerlink has been selected as the head coach of the women's lacrosse program.
"Amber is a quality coach and an outstanding person and we are excited to have her join our staff," said Herlihy. "She is considered by many as an up-and-coming coaching star in college lacrosse and her vision and plan for Saint Anselm to sustain success in Division II lacrosse will be exciting to follow.
Zimmerlink arrives on the Hilltop following a two-year stint as an assistant coach and the defensive coordinator for Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. During her two seasons with the Lions, they went 30-6 and made the NCAA Tournament in their first year eligible in 2014.
Lindenwood, which climbed as high as No. 5 in the national rankings during just its third season as an NCAA program, finished 14-3 during the regular season, won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) with a perfect 5-0 mark and then captured its NCAA first round game against second-ranked Limestone College before falling in the national semifinals to No. 5 Lock Haven University, 10-9.
During that season, Zimmerlink's defense ranked 10th in the country, allowing just 7.74 goals per game, and checked in at 35th with 8.0 caused turnovers per contest.
In addition to running the defense at Lindenwood, Zimmerlink assisted in planning, organizing and implementing all phases of the program, including practices and budgets. She also was responsible for identifying and evaluating talent as one of the Lions' top recruiters.
Zimmerlink will also be charged with overseeing the intramural program at Saint Anselm.
"I am incredibly honored by this opportunity and look forward to continuing the success of such a great program," said Zimmerlink. "Saint Anselm women's lacrosse has excelled both on and off the field and I plan on upholding that tradition. I'd like to thank the athletic director, Jim Herlihy, as well as the entire athletic department and the administration at Saint Anselm for their support."
Zimmerlink also brings head coaching experience to Saint Anselm after being at the helm of the Brave Lacrosse Elite Club Team from St. Louis, Mo., the past two seasons. Zimmerlink developed athletes, ran practices, organized team travel and helped players through the collegiate recruiting process.
Zimmerlink inherits a squad that went 13-5 a year ago, setting a new program record for wins and capturing its first Northeast-10 Championship contest en route to earning its first NCAA Tournament berth in school history.
Zimmerlink graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Iona College, where she was a four-year starter on defense, two-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) All-Conference First Team selection and team captain for the Division I Gaels.
The Northeast-10 Conference is an association of 15 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,000 student-athletes.
Each year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sports sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
Content for this release provided by Saint Anselm College
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