Women's Lacrosse Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Suzie Friedrich

Suzie Friedrich was named the head women's lacrosse and soccer coach at Washington College in July 2003. Friedrich's background in athletics is varied and extensive, encompassing experience in playing, coaching, teaching, and administration.

From 1992-2001, Friedrich worked at St. Paul's School for Girl's in Brooklandville, MD, serving in several capacities. She was the Athletic Director at St. Paul's from 1997-2000 and the Physical Education Department Head from 1997-2001. During her time at St. Paul's, she coached lacrosse at the junior varsity and varsity level as well as basketball, field hockey, and golf. She also taught Physical Education and Health for grades 5-12.

Friedrich's most recent coaching stop prior to Washington was at Garrison Forest School in Owings Mills, MD, where she coached junior varsity lacrosse and middle school basketball during the 2002-03 school year. She has also coached at Morristown High School and Collingswood High School in New Jersey and at the Penn State, Merestead, and Washington College lacrosse camps. She served as the United States Women's Lacrosse Association National Chair for Schoolgirl All-Americans from 1993-1997 and the USLWA Baltimore Schoolgirl Chair from 1993-1998.

Friedrich played four seasons of varsity lacrosse at Penn State, playing on an NCAA finalist team in 1982 and semifinalist teams in 1983 and 1985. She played for the United States Women's Lacrosse Squad from 1989-1991, the Central District 1 Women's Lacrosse Team from 1985-1992, and the South District Women's Lacrosse Team from 1993-1997. She was the Chairwoman of the Central District from 1991-1992. At the time of her hire, Friedrich had been playing competitive soccer for seven years as a goalkeeper in the Baltimore Open League Association.

Friedrich earned a Bachelor of Science from Penn State in 1985.

E-mail Coach Friedrich.

Suzie Friedrich

Assistant Coach:
Julika Blankenship

A native of nearby Crumpton, Julika Blankenship is in her third season as an assistant coach at Washington College. Blankenship spent the 2005 season as an assistant coach at Division I UC Davis.

Blankenship played four years at Gettysburg College, where she finished her career as the all-time leader in both points (309) and assists (160). As a senior captain in 2004, she led the Bullets to their third consecutive Centennial Conference Championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals. She was named a first team All-American by the IWLCA/US Lacrosse, Inside Lacrosse, and Womenslacrosse.com and was selected as the Centennial Conference and ECAC Southern Player of the Year.

An Inside Lacrosse second team All-American as a junior, Blankenship is the only player in Gettysburg history to record back-to-back 100-point seasons. She scored 59 goals and recorded a school-record 62 assists for 121 points in 2003 and followed to up by scoring 41 goals and breaking her own school record with 71 assists for 112 points in 2004.

"I'm thrilled to have Julika on board, because I think she's going to bring so much to our team, especially at the attacking end of our field. She knows the conference and the area and she has Division I experience. I couldn't be more happy," notes head coach Suzie Friedrich.

Blankenship, who twice earned Mid-Shore Player of the Year honors at Kent County High School, earned a B.A. in Spanish from Gettysburg in 2004.

E-mail Coach Blankenship.

Julika Blankenship

Assistant Coach:
Julie Rice

A native of nearby Worton, Julie Rice joined the Shorewomen as an assistant coach for the 2006 season. Rice came to Washington from Franklin & Marshall, where she was the Diplomats' top defender and served as a team captain as a junior and senior.

During Rice's career at F&M, the Diplomats won two ECAC Championships - the 2003 ECAC Mid-Atlantic Championship and the 2005 ECAC Southern Championship. Rice helped lead the Diplomats to Centennial Conference Championship game appearances in 2003, 2004, and 2005. In her four years at Franklin & Marshall, the Diplomats posted a 46-24 overall record and a 29-7 mark in conference play.

Rice, who starred at Kent County High School, earned her undergraduate degree from Franklin & Marshall in 2005.

E-mail Coach Rice.

Julie Rice

Volunteer Assistant Coach:
Phil Schuman

After serving as a student assistant coach for two seasons, Phil Schuman returns to the Shorewomen as a volunteer assistant for the 2008 season. Schuman’s duties include working with the team’s goalkeepers. Schuman played two years as a goalie on the Washington men’s lacrosse team.

Schuman will be finishing his student-teaching requirement for Washington College's Education program during the fall of 2007.

E-mail Coach Schuman.


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