Wells Field Hockey Achieves New Heights in 2004 Conference Rankings

The Wells field hockey team - the Express - made college history in the 2004 season earning second place in the Atlantic Women’s College Conference (AWCC).  This is the highest level the Wells team has attained since joining the conference in 1996.  The Express finished the season with a 5-2 conference record and a 5-8 record overall. 

Wells also received high honors for individual contributions to the sport:  Coach Lyn LaBar was voted 2004 AWCC Coach of the Year. Captain Kate McLaren ’04 received the AWCC Most Outstanding Player Award.  Midfielders Nicole Maryjanowski ’07 and McLaren were named to the All Conference First Team. Rookie Goalkeeper Ali Formicola ’06 was named to the All Conference Second Team along with leading scorer Samantha Schultz ’06. 

Coach LaBar said, “It is an honor to be recognized by my peers as AWCC Coach of the Year. I thank the team members and assistant coach Ace Dolan for their hard work and contributions. We enjoyed a very successful season in AWCC play, and I had a great time working with this squad. Their level of dedication, determination, and effort made my job very easy.” 

The AWCC Championship was held in early November at Trinity College in Washington, DC.  Coming in as the number one seed for the first time ever, Wells’ 3-2 overtime defeat of the Wilson College Phoenix kept them in the championship bracket and guaranteed them first or second place in the conference. 

This win pitted Wells against the Gators of the College of Notre Dame in the championship game.  The Express started the game slowly with two quick scores by the Gators in the first half but then held off the rush for the remainder of the game.  Offensively, the team came alive later in the second half making strong marches to the goal but could not get the ball in the back of the net and ultimately lost the game to the Gators 2-0. 

This is Lyn LaBar’s 16th season as the head coach of Wells’ field hockey program. She arrived at the college in 1989 as head field hockey and head lacrosse coach. In 1993, she was named athletic director and relinquished lacrosse coaching responsibilities. Prior to coaching at Wells, she was the head field hockey coach at Montclair State College from 1985-87 and assistant field hockey and lacrosse coach from 1984-85. 

LaBar is a 1984 graduate of Syracuse University where she played field hockey for four years and served as captain her senior year.  She earned her master's degree in physical education from Montclair State College in 1987, specializing in coaching and sports administration. 

LaBar has also been active outside of Wells serving the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA) as treasurer and executive council member (1994-97). Currently, she serves as President-Elect of the AWCC. She was also a regional committee member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and president of the AWCC (1997-98).

Founded in 1995, the AWCC has been recognized by the NCAA as a conference since 1999 and conducts conference championships in eight intercollegiate sports.  The eight members of the conference are: Chatham College, Chestnut Hill College, Hood College, Mary Baldwin College, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Trinity College, Wells College, and Wilson College.