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JU Women: Staff Coaching Changes For Coach McCord – Britten to Associate HC and Bedford Added as Assistant Coach

Written by Lee Roggenburg on . Posted in , , .
  via press releases Two changes to the JU Women’s coaching staff were announced for the upcoming season, with Britt Orashen ascending to Associate Head Coach and Mike Bedford also added as an Assistant Coach.  

ORASHEN ASCENDS TO ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University women’s lacrosse announced the promotion of Britt Orashen to Associate Head Coach on Wednesday. Orashen, a former standout player for the Dolphins, has served as an assistant on staff for the last five seasons. “I am excited to continue at Jacksonville University and serve our team in a new capacity,” said Orashen. “It is an honor and pleasure for me to promote Britt to Associate Head Coach,” said Head Coach Mindy McCord. “She has a steadfast commitment to our program, as a former captain and All-American and as a member of our second ever recruiting class. “Her passion, desire and determination to see her alma mater rise to new heights has been evident since the day she took the helm as an assistant coach in 2016.” JU has consistently found success over the years with Orashen on staff, and has continued to raise the bar as of late as well. After ending the 2016 season, her first as a coach, in heartbreak with a loss in the ASUN Championship Final, she helped lead the group to a bounce back year in 2017, and the Dolphins have captured three total ASUN Tournament titles while winning the league’s regular season four times in that span. In winning the 2019 ASUN Championship, the program made waves by hosting an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in history, defeating Mercer in the first round at D.B. Milne Field. During her time as an assistant, she has helped JU to three NCAA Tournament appearance and a 17-win season in 2019, which matched a program record set in 2015 when she was a member of the team, tutored Ashtyn Hiron to ASUN Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and ASUN Player of the Year honors in 2018, and engineered one of the best statistical teams in the country over that span. “She embraces our culture and mission of being the best place to play lacrosse by being an excellent recruiter, an outstanding teacher of our systems and, most importantly, a great mentor,” said McCord. “She reinforces the importance of education and helping our players develop life skills and grow into confident, successful women.” Last year’s team was 3-1 overall and beat Stetson to start 1-0 in ASUN Conference play when the season stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We have some unfinished business from last season and I am thrilled to watch our team continue to exceed expectations,” said Orashen. The Lebanon, N.J. native excelled as a player from 2011-15, earning First Team All-American honors as a senior, while also being named ASUN Defensive Player of the Year twice, and landing on the ASUN All-Conference and All-Tournament teams four times each. She is all over the JU record book, as the all-time leader in ground balls and is second all-time in caused turnovers and third in draw controls, while also scoring more than 100 goals in her storied career. “She is a very loyal person whom I wholeheartedly trust,” said McCord. “I look forward to partnering with her in this capacity to serve our players, the staff and the university.”  

BEDFORD JOINS WOMEN’S LACROSSE COACHING STAFF

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University women’s lacrosse head coach Mindy McCord welcomed Mike Bedford as an assistant coach on Sunday afternoon. “We we excited to welcome coach Bedford to our Jacksonville women’s lacrosse family,” head coach Mindy McCord said. “Coach Bedford brings tremendous energy and enthusiasm. He has a passion for coaching and mentoring, while bringing a wealth of experience at the highest level of the game.” Bedford joins the program after serving one season as volunteer assistant at Michigan and prior to that, one season as the assistant coach at Rutgers University where he was the defensive and recruiting coordinator for the Scarlet Knights. He also served as the head coach of the Philadelphia Force in the United Women’s Lacrosse League for two seasons, coaching the team to the 2018 undefeated UWLX Championship. At Rutgers, he was responsible for implementing all facets of the defensive strategy as well as goalkeeper training, practice planning and team development. During his time at Rutgers Bedford helped mentor a strong freshmen class including Sarah Cedarstrand who was selected to the U-19 Puerto Rico Women’s Lacrosse National Team and had three freshmen earn Big Ten Conference Rookie of the Week honors in the 2019 campaign. Along with his coaching duties, Bedford helped manage operations budgets, served as a camp director and was a liaison between the coaching staff and strength and conditioning department as well as the athletic training department. Prior to his stint at Rutgers, Bedford spent one season as the defensive coordinator at Boston University where he helped the team to a 2018 Patriot League semifinal. Bedford was also an assistant coach at William & Mary from 2016-17. Working primarily with the Tribe’s goalies, he guided the goal-keeping unit to lead the Colonial Athletic Association with a 9.18 saves per game average during the 2016 season. Bedford spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Hofstra where the Pride was the 2015 CAA Regular Season Champions after going 6-0 in conference action and earned multiple CAA honors. He spent one season at Lenoir Rhyne University as the defensive coach from 2012-13 where he also oversaw the goalkeepers and position players. Bedford earned his start in collegiate coaching at Suffolk County Community College where he spent two seasons as an undergrad, helping the team to a NJCAA National Champion Runner-Up finish in the 2006 campaign. Bedford was named team captain in his sophomore season, earning first team all-region as well as being named a Second Team NJCAA All-American. Bedford went on to play two seasons at Long Island University Post, where he helped the team to the NCAA National Championship in 2009 and an East Conference Championship. Following his collegiate career, Bedford had a short stint as a member of the Chesapeake Bayhawk’s practice squad and earned a spot on the Charlotte Copper Head’s team in the professional lacrosse league in 2012. Bedford graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physical education and a minor in coaching from Long Island University Post in 2009.    

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