August 13, 1998

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse coach Tracy Coyne has announced the hiring of Kathleen Ostar as women’s assistant lacrosse coach. Ostar, who replaces two-year assistant Kirsten Wagner who resigned to pursue graduate studies at Columbia University, will work specifically with the Irish goalkeepers while assisting with all phases of the program, including recruiting.

Ostar, a native of Simsbury, Conn., served as assistant women’s lacrosse coach the past two seasons (1997 and 1998) at Colgate University where she worked primarily with the Red Raiders’ defensive unit. In addition, she handled administrative duties, the fall lacrosse program and assisted with recruiting. During her two-year tenure, Colgate compiled a 21-6 record and was ranked in the top 20 each of her two seasons there.

Ostar was the starting goalkeeper for Coyne, who coached at Roanoke College for seven seasons, from 1992-95, and after her graduation, spent the 1996 campaign as an assistant coach at her alma mater. While at Roanoke, she assisted Coyne in all phases of the program, organized daily practice sessions with primary responsibility for the development of the team’s goalkeepers.

A 1995 graduate of Roanoke with a bachelors degree in sociology, Ostar was a four-year standout and captained the team in her final season. From 1992-95, Ostar led her squad to two conference champions in 1994 and 1995 and was member of two teams which played in the NCAA Division III tournament. Roanoke advanced to the semifinals in 1992 and earned an appearance in the quarterfinals in 1994.

She finished with a 47-14 record and ranked seventh nationally all-time with 682 career saves. As a senior in 1995, Ostar was selected as the NCAA Division III Goalkeeper of the Year, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Player of the Year and was a first-team All-America selection by both Brine and the United States Women’s Lacrosse Association (USWLA).

“Katherine will add an important dimension to our program,” Coyne says. “She has gained valuable coaching experience at a top 20 school and her expertise working with goalkeepers this season will have an immediate impact on our success.”