Julie Munson - Field Hockey Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Julie Munson

Title:
Assistant Coach

Former New Hampshire goalkeeper Julie Munson joined the JMU staff in 2004 along with head coach Antoinette Lucas and completed her fifth season with the Dukes as the primary goalkeeper coach in 2008. She received a promotion to first assistant coach in March of 2009.

At JMU, Munson has played a critical role in molding the program into a consistent contender for CAA championships and NCAA appearances. The team captured consecutive CAA titles in 2006, 2007, and 2008 with NCAA qualifications all three years, including the program's first NCAA victory since 1995 with a 5-4 decision over Duke 2007.

A key component of JMU's reformation has been the steady, if not dominant, performance of its defense. Under Munson's tuteledge, JMU goalkeepers posted the second-best goals against average in the nation in 2007 and also finished second nationally in shutouts. Individually, sophomore Kelsey Cutchins posted the best season by a goalkeeper in program history, capturing First Team All-America honors and becoming the first keeper in conference history to be named CAA Player of the Year. She ranked second in the nation in GAA and 10th in save percentage.

Cutchins stepped it up another level in 2008, this time leading the nation in GAA (a JMU season record) and save percentage. As a team, the Dukes led the nation in GAA and shutouts while ranking second in save percentage. Cutchins repeated as a CAA Player of the Year, Virginia Player of the Year, and a First Team All-American. In three seasons working with Munson, Cutchins currently ranks as JMU's career GAA record holder.

JMU goalkeepers have posted a steady .757 save percentage in Munson's five seasons, highlighted by the .820 mark posted in 2008. The team goals against average has improved steadily each season from 2.75 in 2004 to 1.37 in 2006 to 0.85 in 2007 to 0.75 in 2008.

Munson's coaching experience includes camps, the U.S. Field Hockey Association's Futures program, the Maryland Thundersticks of the USFHA Elite Performance training center, and her own goalkeeper clinics at Seacoast United Club Soccer in New Hampshire.

Munson is a 2004 graduate of UNH and was assistant captain of the Wildcats' field hockey team in 2003. At UNH Munson earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) National Academic Squad accolades three times (2000, 2002, 2003). In 2002 she was the recipient of the school's Susan Kilmister Memorial Award, named in memory of Susan Kilmister, a former UNH field hockey and lacrosse player. Recipients of the award reflect Kilmister's dedication, accomplishments and sportsmanship as a student-athlete.

A native of Dover, N.H., Munson is a 2000 graduate of Dover High School, where she was a three-time all-state selection (1997-99). She was voted the team's most valuable player as a junior and senior and was named to the Foster's Daily Democrat Dream Team in 1998 and 1999. Munson also lettered in basketball and softball at Dover.

Munson holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from New Hampshire. She is working toward a master's degree in school counseling at JMU. Munson also attended the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy in December, 2008.