Former BSU Standout Paula Habel Named Head Women's Lacrosse Coach

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Bridgewater State University Director of Athletics, John Harper, announced today that former BSU women’s lacrosse standout, Paula Habel, has been named as the Bears’ head women’s lacrosse coach.

Habel replaces Erika Smith who retired from coaching the women’s lacrosse team following the conclusion of the 2011 season.

“We are extremely fortunate to welcome Paula Habel back to our department,” said Harper.  “She was a major contributor to her lacrosse and basketball teams’ successes as a student-athlete and now she will bring that same drive and determination back to our coaching staff.” 

“She truly knows what it means to be a BSU Bear,” Harper added, “and I am sure she will again be successful here.”

A 2003 graduate of Bridgewater State with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, Habel was just recently voted into the BSU Athletics Hall of Fame and will be officially inducted during Homecoming Weekend in October.

Habel spent four stellar seasons as a member of the Bridgewater State women’s lacrosse team and three on the Bears’ women’s basketball team from 2000 to 2003.  She was a four-time New England Women’s Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) First Team All-Star (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003), two-time NEWLA Offensive Player of the Year (2002, 2003), two-time ECAC Division III New England Second Team All-Star (2002, 2003) and was selected to play in the 2003 STX Division III North-South Senior All-Star Game.

Habel, who captained the BSU women’s lacrosse team from 2001 to 2003, currently ranks second all-time at Bridgewater in assists (152), third in scoring (336 points) and sixth in goals (184).  She also ranks 15th all-time in Division III with her 152 assists.  Paula helped lead the Bears to a NEWLA Tournament Championship and NCAA Division III Tournament bid during her senior season of 2003.

On the hardwood, Paula tallied 152 points, 137 rebounds, 39 assists, 18 steals and 8 blocked shots in 62 career games.  She was also a team captain her junior and senior seasons.

Prior to returning to BSU, Habel was the head women’s lacrosse coach at Plymouth State University (2005, 2006), Allegheny College (2008, 2009) and Emerson College (2010).  Through her first six seasons as a head coach, she has produced an overall record of 54-47 (.535). While at Plymouth State, Paula was named the Little East Conference (LEC) Coach of the Year in 2006 and directed her teams to back-to-back Little East titles.  The 2006 squad also captured the LEC Tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Habel, who currently resides in her hometown of Hingham, Massachusetts, also earned a Masters of Educational Leadership from Plymouth State University in 2009.