"We are thrilled to welcome Kara Nakrasius to our Blue Hen Family! Kara comes to UD following an illustrious playing career at Temple University where she helped the Owls to a Top 20 ranking and NCAA 2nd Round Appearance in 2021," said Altig. "Her passion for developing our student athletes, love of the game, and belief in building a positive culture make her a great fit for our program. Kara's leadership background will be integral to the development of our team leaders and inspiring our future leaders.

Prior to her arrival in Newark, Nakrasius was on staff at Quinnipiac as an assistant coach.

"While at Quinnipiac she made an immediate impact on their defenders and draw team by increasing their statistics in key areas that contributed to their team success," Altig said. "We are looking forward to having Kara bring her extensive knowledge of defense and draws to our team as we continue to build a successful future here at UD. We look forward to all the great things Kara is going to bring to our team."

Nakrasius competed at Temple from 2016-2021, where she was a four-year captain for the Owls. During her stint with the Owls, she broke the career draw control record with a total of 236 and ranked 7th in program history with 144 ground balls. A five-year started ta Temple, she played four years as a starting defender before transitioning to midfield/attack for her fifth year.

"I couldn't be more excited to be on board! I am super grateful for Amy and Steph, and to have the opportunity to work with this amazing team," Nakrasius said. "I can't wait to get started and bring home championships!"

She was a 2021 American Athletic Conference Second Team honoree, 2019 First Team All-American Athletic Conference honoree and a four-time winner of the Devon Marie Lam "T" Means More Award which is given to the person who most exemplifies Temple Lacrosse through selflessness, dedication & desire for team success (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). She was also a winner of the Enterprise Spirit & Sportsmanship Award (2017) & Parliament Award (2019) for the student-athlete who has demonstrated a devotion to the essence of sport through their acts of sportsmanship.

Nakrasius earned both her bachelor's (2020) and master's (2021) degrees from Temple University.