Coste Enshrined Into MAC Hall of Fame

Fourth Member from Washington College to be Named to MAC HOF

ANNVILLE, Pa. – Sarah Coste ’91, who played four seasons of women’s lacrosse and one year of field hockey for the Shorewomen, was inducted into the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Hall of Fame today as part of the conference’s 12-member 12th Hall of Fame Class. Prior to joining the Centennial Conference for the 1993-94 academic year, Washington College was a part of the MAC.

Coste is the fourth person from Washington College to be enshrined in the MAC Hall of Fame as she joins Ed Athey ’47 (2012), Penny Fall (2014) and Tom Finnegan ’65 (2015).

The alumna used the induction to reflect on her time in Chestertown.

“Some of my greatest memories of Washington College involve playing lacrosse with incredible teammates and coaches. I will always love the game and am so grateful to the amazing group of women I got to team with throughout my college experience. The comradery, teamwork, triumphs and challenges have stayed with me my whole life. Special thanks to my mother who supported me every step of the way and made the round trip from Philadelphia faithfully! Washington College provided the perfect D3 experience for me because I could participate widely in college athletics, take advantage of small classes, and make lifelong friends.”

It did not take long for Coste to make an impact as in her first season with Shorewomen Lacrosse in 1988, she set the program records for both goals (57) and points (59), becoming the first player in program history to achieve 50 goals and 50 points in a single season as the team became varsity in 1982. As a sophomore in 1989, she set the school record for goals (68) and points (79) as Coste helped WC reach the MAC Playoffs for the first time in program history with a then team record 11 victories. Her 68 scores in 1989 are still a program record. In 1990 as a junior, she helped WC go 9-3 on 44 goals and 19 assists for 63 points. Coste helped Washington to its second MAC Playoffs in 1991 with her career-highs in points (81), to break her own record of 79 two seasons prior, and assists (25) as she netted 56 goals and became the first Washington player to tally 80 points in a single season. In just 55 career games, she totaled 225 goals and 57 assists for 282 points as the Shorewomen went 33-22 in her four seasons.

One of the most decorated players in program history, Coste still holds the program record for goals in a season, career goals, career points, goals in a game (10) and ground balls in a game (14) and shares the record for points in a game (11). She was a two-time IWLCA All-American (1989 – first team and 1991 – second team), a three-time All-MAC West League first team (1989-91) and MAC honorable mention in 1988.

For her achievements on the lacrosse field, she was inducted in the Washington College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.

Coste was a goalie for Shorewomen Field Hockey as a freshman in 1987, tallying 24 saves in her one season on the squad.

She currently serves as the Lower School Math Coordinator at Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland. The Flourtown, Pa. native earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the College in 1991 and earned her Master’s in Education in Conflict Resolution and Peaceable Schools at Lesley University in Massachusetts in 2001.

In its Hall of Fame, the Middle Atlantic Conference honors student-athletes, coaches, administration, faculty, or staff from any of the 59 current and former member schools who have demonstrated exceptional success in athletics, academics, and in the community. To be considered as a student-athlete, an individual must have graduated from their institution ten years before being considered.