Syracuse women’s soccer coach April Kater resigned last Wednesday, ending her eight-year tenure as head coach of the program.

Kater informed Associate Director of Athletics Janet Kittell of her decision last week. Kater called a team meeting later that day in Manley Field House to inform her team of the decision, midfielder Brooke DeRosa said.

Kater will pursue an education in environmental studies and will study in New Zealand, Kittell said. Messages left to Kater’s office went unreturned.

‘She had a passion for the sport, a love of the game and she was a very good coach,’ said Jake Crouthamel, SU’s athletics director. ‘She was very sensitive to the student-athletes and their well-being. We’ll miss her.’

Kittell tried to dissuade Kater from resigning for an hour and a half last Wednesday, but Kater ultimately said that it was a choice she needed to make.

‘Nothing about this was simple,’ Kittell said. ‘(Kater) said it’s the hardest decision she’s ever made in her life. She said she could be wrong, that she might be sorry. She loves Syracuse University. This was about her needing to test some waters at a time when she feels she needed to.’

The Orangewomen called a players-only meeting Monday night after losing the only coach Syracuse women’s soccer has ever seen. Kater was hired in 1995, the first year of the team’s existence.

‘I’m devastated,’ said SU defender Sheila Menz. ‘I just lost the best coach I ever had.’

Syracuse is advertising the job opening both on NCAA.org and on the university’s job board. Kittell said she hopes to find a replacement by mid-May, although the university is in no hurry to fill the position.

In the meantime, assistant coaches Tracy Stalker and Greg Tait will facilitate all the workouts for the Orangewomen. They will also coordinate the summer Syracuse soccer camps. Kittell said Kater will stay at Syracuse as long as necessary to aid the hiring process.

Kittell said the team will be heavily involved in finding a replacement, but no members will sit on the search committee.

Kater was 87-57-8 in her eight years at Syracuse. She led the Orangewomen to the NCAA Tournament in 1998 and 2001.

‘She had given us so much,’ senior midfielder Erica Mastrogiacomo said, ‘I’m happy she is finally doing something for herself.’

Published on April 13, 2004 at 12:00 pm