Editor's Note: In our Fall 2010 issue, Emily Booshada Hopkins was featured in the debut article of our Living Her Dream series of articles. A year later, we agree that this coach has taken her dream and made it a reality for her team and her University.

Coach Emily Hopkins: Dreams Realized

by Mathil Mishalanie

In the Spring 2011 season, when Coach Emily Hopkins finished her fourth season at the helm of Slippery Rock University's Women's Lacrosse team, people all over the country were watching her and the team.

It was her first season with an almost full squad of girls that she'd exclusively recruited. The season ended with an 11 – 6 record (up from 0 - 17 her first year, when she inherited the team) and six YouTube interviews.

With headlines like "Rock scores first win over Millersville since 1981" and "Rock sets modern-era wins mark with 19-5 win over Kutztown," this Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team tied the all-time school record for wins in a season with their 17-7 victory over Edinboro.

With that win, The Rock closed the year at 11-6 overall and 5-6 in their very competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action.

Captain Katie Roof noted in her school paper, "We had so much fun this season, the team meshed like never before, and next year we have fifteen incoming rookies so that will just be more room to make our family bigger."

The 11 wins matches the 1983 team that went 11-5-1 for the most wins in program history. The 11-6 finish also marks the first winning season for SRU since the program was reinstated in 2007.

Slippery Rock's three seniors, not recruited by Hopkins, were a part of a 0-17 team their freshman season and a part of the first winning season since the program returned in their senior seasons. Several players also won honors:

• Amy Halls scored 61 season goals, which ranks her fifth in Division II for the season
• Halls and Casey Quinn now rank first and second in career goal scoring
• Freshman goalie Kat Elkins set a Slippery Rock record for wins in a season, with 11

Hopkins has yet to sign a Cape Cod player, but now has three Massachusetts players on her winning team and a roster that is only losing three seniors.

Yes, Emily Hopkins, a South Yarmouth high schooler and Bishop Stang grad is definitely living her dream, and helping others to live their dreams as well.

Mathil Mishalanie lives and works on Cape Cod.