FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Courtesy of JWU Athletics Communications
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A successful student-athlete and coach, Lisa Lopes brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Johnson & Wales University field hockey program. JWU Director of Athletics Dana Garfield has named the 13-year coaching veteran as the Wildcats' next head coach.
She is only the second head coach in program history. Johnson & Wales started its field hockey team in 2013.
"We are excited to have Lisa join the Johnson & Wales family," Garfield said. "She brings a tremendous amount of experience to the field hockey program and is very connected in the New England region. During the interview process we were impressed with her vision for the future of this program and her commitment to the development of her student-athletes."
Lopes comes to Johnson & Wales after nine seasons at Providence College, including the last six as associate head coach. She was involved in all of the day-to-day operations of the field hockey program, including practice planning, on field coaching, individual workouts and video analysis. Lopes also spearheaded the Friars' recruiting efforts.
During her tenure, the Friars produced 83 victories, including double-digit wins the last four seasons. Lopes coached a trio of All-Americans and 16 All-Region selections.
"To say that I'm excited about my future at Johnson & Wales is an understatement," Lopes said. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity of leading the field hockey program and being part of an institution and athletics department committed to the total development of the student-athlete.
"I would like to give a huge thank-you to Mel Graf, Dana Garfield, Nancy Somera and the rest of the search committee for entrusting me to be the new leader of the program. I would also like to thank Providence College for what has been a rewarding nine years and preparing me for the next chapter in my coaching career."
This will be Lopes' second stint at the NCAA Division III level. She got her collegiate coaching start as a graduate assistant at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania. While there, she helped the Colonels to a school-record 18 wins and a No. 20 national ranking during the 2008 campaign.
Lopes joined the PC staff after two seasons as an assistant coach at Miami University (Ohio). While at Miami, she served as the recruiting coordinator and assisted with the day-to-day operations. She helped guide the Red Hawks to two-consecutive MAC Championship games (2009, 2010) and the program's first-ever MAC Regular-Season title in 2010.
A native of Dallas, Pennsylvania, Lopes was a four-year stand-out at the University of Louisville from 2003-2006. She was a three-year team captain and earned a pair of All-BIG EAST honors. Lopes was a two-time NFHCA Division I All-West Region selection and earned Louisville's Female Anthem Leadership Award. As a sophomore, she was a First-Team All-MAC and MAC All-Tournament team selection when the Cardinals were members of the MAC.
Lopes was a two-time Team MVP and played in the 2006 NFHCA Senior All-Star Game. In addition to her success on the field, Lopes excelled in the classroom as a four-time NFHCA National Academic Squad honoree and two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star.
She got her coaching career started with the International Field Hockey Club of Kentucky and Valley Styx Club. She spent six years working with the USA Field Hockey Futures Program. During the summer of 2012, Lopes served as a selector for the National Futures Championship for the U-16 division. She also earned her U.S. Field Hockey Level II Certification. During the summer of 2013, Lopes participated in the NCAA Women Coaches Academy from June 24-28 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Lopes earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education and special education from Louisville in 2007 and completed her master's degree in instructional technology from Wilkes in 2009. Lopes and her husband Sam – the head coach of the PC women's soccer program – have two sons Jax and Cruz.