Thursday, July 19, 2001

GOZZARD NAMED MORAVIAN FIELD HOCKEY/LACROSSE COACH

BETHLEHEM, PA --- Moravian College has announced that Natalie Gozzard will become just the fourth head field hockey coach and the first-ever women’s lacrosse coach effective August 1st.

Gozzard, who will be in charge of rebuilding the Greyhound field hockey program that has suffered four straight losing seasons and starting the new women’s lacrosse program, will also serve as Athletic Facilities Coordinator for Moravian.

“We are very excited to have Coach Gozzard join our staff.  She brings with her a strong background as a head coach in both field hockey and lacrosse which is the direction we as an institution wanted to move,” stated Moravian College Director of Athletics and Recreation Paul R. Moyer.  “Her background as a two-sport Division III athlete and having served at NCAA Division III settings was very attractive to us as was her experience in athletic administration. We feel that she brings the total package to the table and that her experience allows her to relate to all the various constituencies - players and faculty and staff - very well.  She is a great addition to an already strong department and we are confident that her involvement will bring not only success to our hockey program, but jump start our lacrosse program quickly.”

Gozzard comes to Moravian after spending last year as Assistant Athletic Director/Head Field Hockey and Lacrosse Coach at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia.  Her other coaching experience includes two years as an assistant field hockey and lacrosse coach at LaSalle University, one year as head field hockey coach at both St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Pine Manor College in Massachusetts.

A 1990 graduate of Chestnut Hill College with a Bachelor of Arts in French as well as her teacher certification and an international studies certificate, Gozzard spent two years as a teacher in Maryland.  She also has a Master of Education from Frostburg State University where she served as graduate assistant coach for the women’s lacrosse team.

Gozzard has ties to Moravian and the Lehigh Valley as her father Lawrence is a 1965 Moravian graduate and her parents met at Saucon Valley High School and grandparents are former residents of Hellertown.

A four-year starting field hockey and lacrosse player at Chestnut Hill, Gozzard helped lead the lacrosse team to four consecutive PAIAW Conference championships.

Gozzard has also coached for the Futures Program of the United States Field Hockey Association and she has been a volunteer coach for the Women’s National Lacrosse Tournament Team from the Upper Atlantic Region.

Moravian has had a field hockey program since 1974 and has posted a record of 166-166-30.  The Greyhounds are slated to return ten players this fall including Commonwealth Conference Second Team All-Stars Elissa Gerstel (Warminster/William Tennent HS) and Suzy Wargo (Somerville, NJ/ Hillsborough HS).  The College announced last May that the women’s lacrosse program would be a club team in 2002 and become a varsity program in 2003.