From Newsday.com
Insider: McNamara makes smooth transition at Post
by Steven Marcus
Megan McNamara had no choice but to hit the ground running. The C.W. Post women's lacrosse program demanded no less from its new coach.
"The players have made the transition easy," McNamara said. "They are fantastic."
Post is ranked first in the nation in Division II and McNamara, who assisted Karen MacCrate Henning for the last two seasons, is the recipient of a group that may very well win its third national title next month. The latest victory, an 18-4 triumph over Molloy, improved the Pioneers' record to 8-0. Juniors Jaclyn Napoli and Katie Hogan each scored four goals and had three assists in the victory.
Jenna Miller leads the offense with 41 points, followed by Napoli (38) and Hogan (38). Post has scored 134 goals, compared to 48 for the opposition. Goalie Lauren Scipione has started all eight games and has 60 saves.
Some coaches have to rebuild; McNamara needs only to reload this program. The pressure is to live up to the annual expectations of going for the national title.
"There is always pressure that way," McNamara said. "You have to beat pressure at its own game. I believe we have a very reachable goal each year."
The opportunity at Post is so significant that McNamara left Division I Stony Brook to become an assistant to MacCrate Henning three years ago.
"I had a great time at Stony Brook, but I had the chance to work for my role model and idol [MacCrate Henning ] to pass that up," McNamara said. "I would have regretted it."
McNamara graduated from Maryland in 2001. Her teams went 83-4 and won four national titles and McNamara scored 51 goals and had 21 assists in her career.
There was no guarantee McNamara would get the Post job when MacCrate Henning left for the head-coaching job at Colby College in Maine.
"It was a was a waiting game," Mcnamara said. "It probably took about two months (over last summer). Definitely, it was an anxious time. Am going to be around, am I not?"
She's likely to be around for a long time.
