Fort Lewis College Adds DII Women's Lacrosse

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Durango, CO – August 12, 2008 – The long awaited Fort Lewis College women’s lacrosse program officially started operation today with the arrival of recently hired coach Kelley Queisser.

With today being her first day Queisser is excited to get the recruitment process under way and is looking to try and piece together a roster as soon as possible. "When starting a new program it is important that your student-athletes see the future and how their hard work, dedication and determination will payoff for the team, the program and the institution," Queisser said.

Queisser, originally from Coronado, California, most recently served as the head coach for the San Diego State University women's lacrosse club team. Queisser started her four-year tenure at SDSU in 2004-05 when she guided the Aztec's to an undefeated season and a Western Women's Lacrosse League (WWLL) Division B Championship. For her efforts, she was named the SDSU Club Coach of the Year in 2005. In 2005-06 the Aztec's moved up a division to the WWLL Division A and finished second. During the season they were ranked as high as eighth in the nation.

In her last two seasons at SDSU Queisser guided the Aztec's to two league titles and sixth place finishes in the WWLL. This past season the team ranked 20th in the nation and in 2006-07 they ranked 14th nationally.

When asked what excited her most about starting the women's lacrosse program at Fort Lewis College Queisser said, "Exactly that, starting a new program. It's going to be a very exciting journey with great opportunity for success."

Fort Lewis women’s lacrosse joins a winning athletic tradition at Fort Lewis College. In the past three years Fort Lewis has enjoyed some of its most successful athletic seasons. In 2005 the Fort Lewis men’s soccer team won the Division II National Championship followed by a repeat national title berth in 2006 where the Skyhawks finished runner up, second in the nation.

In 2007 Skyhawk men’s soccer and women’s soccer each won their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament and earned a berth to the NCAA tournament. Volleyball won the regular season RMAC title and also earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament. Skyhawk men’s and women’s basketball each won their outright regular season RMAC titles respectively. Men’s basketball went on to win the conference title last season and has also won the western division of the RMAC four straight seasons. Both basketball teams went on to play in the NCAA tournament as well. Skyhawk softball also won its first RMAC conference tournament in the spring of 2008 and went on to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance.

Though many Colorado high schools offer women’s lacrosse Fort Lewis becomes only the second Colorado based Division II School to offer the sport. Women’s Lacrosse is currently one of the fastest growing female sports with more and more schools are trying to stay in compliance with Title IX.

If you are interested in playing or would like more information about the program, please contact Head Coach Kelley Queisser directly at (970) 247-7125 or Queisser_M@fortlewis.edu.