Sarah Queener has joined Claremont McKenna College as the new coach for the CMS women's lacrosse team. A native of Penn Yan, New York, Queener graduated from Yale University, where she was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs and was an important contributor during her senior year to their 2003 Ivy League title as well as their NCAA tournament appearance. During her years at Yale, Queener scored 76 goals and recorded 66 assists, was a two-time All-Ivy pick, IWLCA All-American, and a North-South Senior All-Star.
Asked her intentions for the Athenas as they open their season in spring, Queener says she's always dreamed of being an active contributor "to the growth of lacrosse enthusiasm on the West Coast," and hopes to continue the team's heightened level of excellence. To that end, she's already mentioned plans to recruit players from the across the states and even in her old neighborhood in Upstate New York.
Mike Sutton, director of CMS athletics, says the College was smitten with Queener's ability to articulate her passion for lacrosse, and for teaching the game at a high level. "Sarah has studied the game since she was young and has a strong coaching support group in her family, as well as her former head coaches," Sutton says. "She brings us a great personality to continue the growth and success of our young lacrosse program."
As her father was a men's lacrosse coach in Penn Yan, Queener started playing boy's lacrosse at a very young age, and even competed on her school's modified boys lacrosse team while in seventh grade. Noticing her daughter's obvious enthusiasm and talent for the sport, her mother, Pat Queener, formed a girl's team at Penn Yan Academy. The younger Queener went on to play for the Academy's Mustangs and by graduation, was being courted by Yale. Asked if the prestige associated with Ivy League academics helped cement her decision to accept the offer, Queener says, "It certainly made a difference, but the opportunity to play on such a high caliber lacrosse team was an equally important factor."
Prior to joining CMC, Queener worked part-time as an assistant coach at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2004 and was quickly promoted to interim assistant coach for the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
While Queener continues in the family's coaching footsteps, her loved ones on the East Coast remain equally bonded to the sport: both parents currently coach the girls Penn Yan Academy lacrosse team; brother Brice is the assistant coach for the Binghamton University Bearcats and plays professionally for the Rochester Rattlers; brother Brett is the starting goaltender for Albany University; and sister Sylvia is a senior attacker on her parents' Penn Yan Academy team and will play for Hofstra University next year.
Consuelo Gaytan '07