Gettysburg College head coach Carol Cantele ’83 was recognized for her dedication and commitment to the sport of women’s lacrosse with the Diane Geppi-Aikens Memorial Award at the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Honors Banquet at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Thursday evening.
The annual awards banquet ended with the IWLCA’s highest honor being bestowed upon Cantele. The Diane-Geppi-Aikens Memorial Award is named in honor of the legendary Loyola coach whose courageous battle with cancer inspired the nation and recognizes lifetime achievement to the women’s college game.
“What an honor it is to be named this year’s recipient of the Diane Geppi-Aikens Memorial Award,” said Cantele, Gettysburg’s head coach for the last 24 years. “Diane was one of the first coaches that I met when I began my coaching stint at Gettysburg College. Her lessons remain with me and likely with all those who had the pleasure to coach alongside her. I am truly humbled to receive this award.”
For more than four decades, Cantele has devoted her time and energy to women’s lacrosse. As a student-athlete, Cantele (formerly Daly) played a pivotal role in establishing Gettysburg as a premier contender in both lacrosse and field hockey. She helped the field hockey team claim the school’s first national title in 1980 and the following spring, she led the lacrosse team to its first national playoff appearance.
After earning her master’s degree as a graduate assistant with the lacrosse program at Miami (Ohio) University, Cantele began her career as a head coach at Plymouth State University in 1989. After winning just five games in her first two seasons, she guided the team to a 19-5 record in her final two campaigns.
In 1992, Cantele returned to her alma mater to fill the shoes of her former mentor, Lois Bowers. It didn’t take long for the Bullets to reach greater heights under the new coach. In 1995, the team won the ECAC Mid-Atlantic title and in 2000 Gettysburg won its first Centennial Conference championship. Cantele has guided the Bullets to a league record 10 conference titles, including the latest in 2016.
On the national scene, Gettysburg has appeared in the NCAA Division III Championship 16 times in the last 17 seasons. The Bullets have made five trips to the national semifinals, including two trips to the title game. In 2011, Cantele led the team to its first national title and the first team national championship at Gettysburg since her field hockey team three decades before.
In her 24 seasons at the helm, Gettysburg has posted a record of 357-102 (.778), including 184-33 (.848) in conference play. Overall, Cantele has produced a career record of 381-125 (.753) over 28 seasons as a lacrosse coach.
Cantele has coached 39 IWLCA All-Americans, six IWLCA Players of the Year, 93 all-region selections, and 127 all-conference honorees. She has had a resounding impact on the future of women’s lacrosse as many of her former players and assistant coaches have become head coaches themselves.
“Carol is compassionate and driven and challenges those around her to be their very best,” said Katie Hagan ’07, who was an assistant coach with the Bullets from 2009-11 and is currently the head coach at Ursinus College. “She doesn’t tell you she cares; she shows you she cares.”
Off the field, Cantele has been a guiding force in the athletics department and campus community. She is Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator. She serves as advisor of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and she played a key role in the establishment of the Green Dot Awareness Program at Gettysburg.
Prior to becoming an assistant AD and SWA, Cantele also served as the head coach of the Bullets’ field hockey program where she won 121 games and claimed five conference championships.
In 2009, Cantele was presented with the Judith M. Sweet Commitment Award by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), given to those individuals who have provided leadership and commitment to colleagues and student-athletes in intercollegiate athletics.
During her career she has served on the IWLCA’s All-American, Communications, and RSGA committees and on the NCAA Division III Lacrosse Committee. Cantele was the head coach of the U.S. Developmental Team and served as an assistant coach with Team USA during its run to the gold medal at the 2013 World Cup.
A two-time IWLCA Division III Coach of the Year and eight-time regional coach of the year, Cantele shies away from taking personal credit for her team’s achievements during her tenure, instead citing the many contributions of players, coaches, and staff members over the years.
“I feel this award is recognition of the program’s success as well as a reflection on Gettysburg College and the athletic program,” said Cantele. “You are only as strong as the people you surround yourself with and I have been blessed to be surrounded by energizing and talented folks in an incredible environment.”
