Rutgers announced today that Laura Brand Sias was stepping down as head coach of the women’s lacrosse team.

“I am so thankful for my time at Rutgers,” said Brand Sias. “To be able to establish a program at my alma mater is something of which I will always be proud. The opportunity to expand my Rutgers family over the years and watch the growth of my student-athletes is something I will always cherish. I’m looking forward to now focusing my attention on my own young family and raising them with Scarlet pride.”

Brand Sias is the program’s all-time winningest coach with 133 wins over 17 seasons. Rutgers had four seasons of double digit victories in her tenure and finished .500 or better in nine seasons. She also led the program to five conference tournament appearances. 39 players earned all-conference honors and 37 players earned IWLCA All-Region selections during her tenure. 11 players achieved at least 100 points in their Rutgers careers and three were named IWLCA All-Americans.

Rutgers finished this past season with a 5-11 record and 0-6 in Big Ten play.

Women’s lacrosse was a standout academically under Brand Sias. The program received NCAA recognition for its multi-year Academic Progress Rate scores seven times, which is the fourth most of any athletic program at Rutgers. The program earned 57 Academic All-Big Ten selections between 2015-18 and 19 student-athletes were recognized on the IWLCA National Academic Honor Roll from 2010-18. This past fall, the team achieved a a program-best 3.43 grade point average.

Brand Sias has a lot of history with the program, as she was also four-year letterwinner in the late nineties and is a Rutgers graduate. She starred in the midfield, helping the program achieve its first ever national ranking and first NCAA Tournament berth in 1999. She played internationally for the Canadian National Team from 1999-2004, starting on the 2001 team that finished in fourth place at the World Cup.

“Laura has established a lasting legacy through her years of investment and dedicated service to Rutgers and its student-athletes,” said Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs. “She has made a positive impact on the lives of many, and we are grateful for her effort, integrity and friendship.”

A national search to replace Brand Sias is officially underway.