Julie Munson, who helped lead NCAA field hockey’s topdefense as goalkeeper coach at James Madison, joined the Harvardstaff in 2010 as assistant coach. She departed in 2013 to take thehead coaching job at Southern New Hampshire.
In her first year in Cambridge, Munson helped guide Crimsongoalie Cynthia Tassopoulos to second-team All-Ivy League honors in2010.
Munson served as an assistant coach for the Dukes for sixseasons, beginning in 2004. She helped the team win conferencechampionships and reach the NCAA tournament in 2006, ’07 and’08. Her goalkeepers led the nation in goals-against average(0.75) and shutouts (11) and ranked second in save percentage(.820) in 2008. A year earlier, they ranked second nationally ingoals-against average and shutouts.
Munson guided goalie Kelsey Cutchins to consecutive first-teamAll-America honors in 2007 and ’08. Cutchins was namedColonial Athletic Association Player of the Year after rankingsecond nationally in goals-against average and 10th in savepercentage. She led Division I in goals-against average and savepercentage the following year and again ranked in thenation’s top five in save percentage in 2009.
James Madison’s goals-against average improved steadilythroughout Munson’s first five seasons. Munson’sgoalies lopped more than a goal off their average from 2004 to’06 and allowed less than one goal per contest in 2007 and’08. In Munson’s final season of 2009, JMU ranked 11thnationally in goals-against average and seventh in savepercentage.
Off the field, Munson coordinated the Dukes’ recruitingand film exchanges and evaluations and was the team’sacademic liaison. She also designed and implemented the goalkeepercurriculum for the Let’s Play USA Field Hockey Camp at JamesMadison and was the full camp director in 2009.
Additionally, Munson has served as both a coach and selector onthe regional and national levels of the USA Field Hockey NationalFutures program. She also worked closely with collegiate goaliesand field players as assistant coach for High Performance.
Munson played collegiate field hockey at New Hampshire and wasassistant captain of the Wildcats in 2003. She earned selection tothe National Field Hockey Coaches Association National AcademicSquad three times and was the 2002 recipient of the school's SusanKilmister Memorial Award for dedication, accomplishment andsportsmanship. She graduated in 2004 with a degree inpsychology.
A native of Dover, N.H., Munson graduated from Dover High Schoolin 2000. She was a three-time all-state selection and also letteredin basketball and softball.
