May 29, 2008

FARMVILLE, Va. - Longwood University first-year field hockey head coach Iain Byers has announced the appointment of Chelsea Cipriani as the program's new assistant coach. Cipriani joins the Lancers after four years as a student-athlete at Wake Forest University, helping the Demon Deacons to the 2004 National Championship.    
 
“I am extremely excited to announce the appointment of Chelsea,” said Byers. “Her experience and skills are going to be a great asset to the team. She understands the college game and brings a wealth of knowledge of what it takes to play at the top level.”

While with the Demon Deacons Cipriani was the team co-captain in 2007, earning a spot on the National Field Hockey Coaches Association South Regional Second Team. During the 2006 season, she helped Wake Forest earn the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship, while also earning an ACC Player of the Week honor.  Cipriani's sophomore season saw the Demon Deacons earn the ACC?Regular Season Championship after compiling an undefeated regular season.

“I feel very honored to have the opportunity to work at Longwood, a school that is up and coming in the field hockey world,” said Cipriani. “I believe that I will fit in well with this program's work ethic and desire to improve. The skills that I?learned from my time at Wake Forest will only help me guide the Lancers to greater things, like a NorPac championship.”

Cipriani was also a member of the USA Olympic Development Program from 2001-03. She has also worked several camps, including the USA Futures Camp where she was an assistant coach from 2005-08. Cipriani has also worked with the Wake Forest Field Hockey Camp (2005-07), University of Maryland Camp (2006-07) and Mount Tabor Field Hockey Camp (2005).

A native of Westville, New Jersey, Cipriani earned her bachelors of arts in communications from Wake Forest in 2008.