Re: Lax: Q&A with Stevenson women's coach Kathy Railey - John Weaver blogs about all things lacrosse

Kathy Railey is not only the head coach of the Stevenson University women’s lacrosse team.

She also coaches the field hockey team and is an associate athletic director and the senior women's administrator at Stevenson. She came to Stevenson four years ago (it was Villa Julie then) after a very successful five-year coaching stint at Eastern Connecticut State University. She got her start in coaching as an assistant at McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College) and Goucher College. She is from Baltimore originally, playing at Loch Raven High School. She then attended Gettysburg College, where she was a four-year letterwinner and a team captain in both field hockey and lacrosse.

In 2008, Railey led the Mustangs to a record of 12-5 and 3-4 in the Capital Athletic Conference. Twelve wins is a record for the most wins in a season by the Stevenson women’s team.

Editor's note: This Q&A was conducted before the season. The Mustangs are 2-1 with wins over York (Pa.) and Marymount (Va.) and a loss to Salisbury.

How has the preseason gone?

Kathy Railey: Very well. The girls are in shape, so our injuries are few and our level of practice is very competitive.

What are your specific goals for preseason?

Kathy Railey: Offensively, I have a very young attacking unit this year -- two sophomores and two freshmen. I am hoping to get them seasoned quickly. Defensively, I am trying to implement a new style of defense. In the cage, we have two new goal keepers and one that was our reserve last year. Bringing them along quickly has been our goal.

Give us a preview of your probable starting personnel for 2009:

Kathy Railey: On attack we’ll have Lisa Baker, Megan Weiss, Kirstin Gancarz and Kelli Battista. At the midfield are Lauren Zegowitz, Mandi Carr and Kristyna Hnizda. On defense we have Tricia Kauffman, Jessica Dixon, Brittany Hilton and Sarah Pincus. In goal are Jenny Schroeder and Devan Malone.

Are there any battles going on for key positions?

Kathy Railey: The goalkeeper position is a battle. They play very differently, one aggressive, one conservative. Both are athletic, both have about the same amount of experience.

How will the personality of this 2009 team differ from the 2008 squad?

Kathy Railey: It doesn't differ much. We have had the same leadership for years on this team. I think we are more goal-oriented and the small taste of success last year has made us very, very hungry.

Who are your captains and what are their strengths?

Kathy Railey: Mandi Carr is the best practice player. She is intense, very fit and has been starting since she was a freshman. Lauren Zegowitz is our most well-rounded player. She is fast and aggressive and leads by example. Jessica Dixon is our vocal leader. She is intense and has so much fun on the field it is contagious.

What is the biggest weakness of your 2009 team or the thing you will look to improve over the season before the playoffs?

Kathy Railey: Our young offense is the biggest question mark. How will they perform and will they control the tempo of the game well? We have better athletes than we have ever had on the field this year. We are amazingly fast. However, this is an offense that is unproven.

Are there any freshmen that will break into the lineup and impress us?

Kathy Railey: Kirstin Gancarz is an amazing presence on the field. She is fast, aggressive and has a wonderfully powerful shot. Sarah Pincus is a smart defender and comes to us with great fundamentals. Kelli Battista has an amazing shot as well, her speed is unmatched at this level of play and she is a natural athlete. Jenny Schroeder has been very solid in the cage in the preseason.

Who's your hardest shooter?

Kathy Railey: Kristyna Hnizda

Best stickhandler?

Kathy Railey: Lauren Zegowitz

Fastest middie?

Kathy Railey: Lauren Zegowitz

Toughest defender?

Kathy Railey: Tricia Kauffman

Unsung hero?

Kathy Railey: Mandi Carr

Surprise player?

Kathy Railey: Kirstin Gancarz and Kelli Battista

What is the strength of your 2009 squad?

Kathy Railey: Quickness and aggressiveness.

Are you missing anyone with injuries?

Kathy Railey: We are missing an amazing freshman who tore her ACL duirng field hockey practice in the fall, Lauren Wynne. We are unsure if she will be back this season.

How do the coaching roles work in your program? What are the key responsibilities of your assistants?

Kathy Railey: We are so fortunate this year. I have Erika Blozie, a fantastic goalie from Eastern Connecticut. She has made a huge difference in taking what could have been a problem of three young keepers into a strength of three competitive goalies vying for a starting role.

How strong are your seniors?

Kathy Railey: Very strong. Mandi Carr, Jess Dixon and Tricia Kauffman make for three very experienced players defensively in the 7 v 7.

How mature is the 20090 team?

Kathy Railey: It’s a mixed bag for us in 2009. I feel confident in the maturity of our defense and midfield, yet excited and tense about our young attacking unit. I have spent the last several years coaching a disciplined attack, where speed was not necessarily an asset we had. Now, I have this incredibly athletic attack who are young, but there is amazing potential here.

Which teams are you most looking forward to playing this season?

Kathy Railey: Salisbury, Mary Washington, Catholic and St. Mary's. We intend to take down a few top twenty teams this year :)

Which teams provide the biggest challenge?

Kathy Railey: Salisbury. They are good at making adjustments during the game. The good news is, I think they will struggle against the kind of defense we will be playing this year and I think they lost some key leadership to graduation.

Who's the opposing coach you fear most?

Kathy Railey: I do not fear any coach, but I really would like to beat Mary Washington this year. I always feel we match well with them ability-wise. I just can't seem to get the win. That is a hurdle I look to get over in 2009.

How strong is your conference in 2009?

Kathy Railey: Very strong.

What's your funniest recruiting story?

Kathy Railey: I once told a field hockey recruit in the fall of her senior year in high school (who happened to also play softball) that playing softball was too boring for her personality and I thought she should play lacrosse in her senior year in high school so that she could play both sports for me. "Softball is a lifetime sport," I told her. "You have the rest of your life to play that. Play lacrosse!" She was unbelievably strong and fast on the field hockey field, a "bull in a china shop" kind of kid. She had never picked up a lacrosse stick in her life. She came to play for me and ended up breaking nearly all the scoring records at ECSU in lacrosse and having numerous honors (I know she was at least a Regional All-American in both sports). I still tease her about softball all the time.

Give us your feedback on any rules changes you think are good or bad for 2009?

Kathy Railey: I am on the NCAA Rules Committee, so I think all the changes are well thought out and will work to improve the safety of the game. It is important that we hold true to the tradition of women's lacrosse and improving the safety of our game.

How strong is the Maryland/Baltimore area for recruiting these days?

Kathy Railey: Still very, very strong. It is the strongest area in the country.

Where's the farthest you gone to get a recruit?

Kathy Railey: Hawaii, Colorado and California.

How many camps should a kid play in the summer if she wants to play in college?

Kathy Railey: I have two recruits this year who are remarkable athletes. The only reason I have them is that they did not go to camp. They played multiple sports in high school. No family should ever financially strap themselves due to camp/club pressures.

Are you a fan of multi-sport athletes when recruiting?

Kathy Railey: Yes! The best lacrosse players I have ever coached have been multi-sport athletes. If a lacrosse recruit also plays basketball, I want her!

Who were your influences in coaching?

Kathy Railey: My father, Guy Railey, longtime coach in Baltimore County in football and baseball. Diane George, my high school basketball coach, also a well-known Baltimore County coach :)

Would you rather be the underdog or favorite in a big game?

Kathy Railey: Underdog

Do your players see you as a friend, mother figure, teacher or boss?

Kathy Railey: Teacher

What's the most important trait of a great player?

Kathy Railey: Commitment

More lacrosse Q&As:

• Salisbury coach men's Jim Berkman

• Goucher women's coach Katie Trainor

• Hood College women's coach Molly Hesterberg

• Towson women's coach Missy Doherty

• Mount St. Mary's men's coach Tom Gravante