SPARKS, Md. — US Lacrosse today announced that James Madison women’s lacrosse coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe, who guided the Dukes to their first NCAA championship last season, will be a featured speaker for high school and youth girls’ lacrosse coaches at the 2019 US Lacrosse Convention (LaxCon), set for Jan. 11-13 in Philadelphia.

Klaes-Bawcombe enters her 13th season at James Madison having coached the Dukes to a 22-1 overall record that culminated with a 16-15 win over Boston College in the national championship game. James Madison won its second straight Colonial Athletic Association title and knocked off Virginia, Florida and North Carolina in the NCAA tournament. The Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association named Klaes-Bawcombe its national coach of the year, and the CAA did the same in the conference for a third straight season.

“The US Lacrosse Convention represents a premier learning opportunity for coaches at all levels of play,” Klaes-Bawcombe said. “I’m looking forward to speaking at the event and giving back to the game that has given me so much.”

Klaes-Bawcombe sports a 151-75 record at her alma mater and is its all-time winningest coach. Last year she surpassed the 200-win mark in her coaching career, improving to 201-110 in 17 seasons. Prior to returning to James Madison, Klaes-Bawcombe coached at Hofstra and twice took the Pride to the CAA tournament final.

During her tenure with the Dukes, they have won five conference championships and qualified for the NCAA tournament six times since 2010. Klaes-Bawcombe coached 2018 Tewaaraton Award finalist Kristen Gaudian as part of the season in which the Dukes set program records for wins, goals, assists, points, and draw controls, among others. She has mentored 69 All-CAA players, six league players of the year, and 24 IWLCA academic honorees.

As a four-year player at James Madison, Klaes-Bawcombe helped the Dukes reach the NCAA tournaments, and twice she was named both All-American and All-CAA. She still ranks in the top 12 in school history in goals, assists and points.

“It’s been impressive to watch Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe build James Madison into a national championship program over the years, and I’m sure the coaches attending LaxCon will learn a lot from her session,” Caitlin Kelley, women’s game senior manager at US Lacrosse, said. “We’re grateful she will be joining the lineup of speakers.”

The specific date and time of Klaes-Bawcombe’s session will be announced as the convention draws near.

LaxCon represents lacrosse’s largest educational event and trade show, drawing upwards of 7,000 each year to learn the game, network with others in the community, and then develop the sport locally upon returning home. Special hotel rates are available for all attendees who book accommodations before Dec. 17. Members of US Lacrosse always save $40 or more on LaxCon tickets vs. non-member prices.

The early-bird registration rates of $90 for members and $130 for the general public expire Oct. 31.

For more information or to register, visit uslacrosse.org/laxcon. Follow #LaxCon2019 on social media.