In her role, she will serve as the program’s defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator.

Linville is no stranger to JMU and the Colonial Athletic Association, having served the previous nine seasons as the head coach at Delaware (2011-19). During her time at her alma mater, she led the Blue Hens to a 79-75 record and 28-28 mark in league play, advancing to the CAA Championship semifinals on four occasions.

“Kateri has shown that she’s been able to lead a defensive unit and create a tenacious and competitive culture within her programs,” Klaes-Bawcombe said. “Her work ethic and determination will inspire our team to continue its winning ways, and her connections as a former head coach will help us recruit elite student-athletes who aspire to win championships. This is an exciting time for JMU. We’re hungry to go after a fourth straight CAA championship in 2020, something no other team has ever done in our conference’s history. Who better to help lead the way than Coach Linville.”

“JMU is a place you can compete for championships, which as a competitor is super appealing,” Linville said. “I love the CAA. It’s such a gritty conference with great competition. We’ve competed against each other for a long time and I really respect and value what JMU is all about. It offers an awesome academic experience, partnered with great lacrosse. You can attract talent here, and student-athletes are going to have an amazing experience. Shelley wants to compete for championships both at the conference and national level and develop strong women. Player development is just as important to me as the winning, and I know that resonates with Shelley.”

In her nine seasons at Delaware, the program produced consistent success on the defensive side of the ball, ranking in the top 25 in scoring defense and top 30 in caused turnovers on six occasions. The Blue Hens were top 15 in scoring defense four times under Linville, including a three-year stretch in which they were fourth in 2015, 13th in 2016 and seventh in 2017.