| Sue Behme |
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When Sue Behme was hired as the women's lacrosse coach at Fresno State she was faced with the responsibility of not only starting a new program but educating the Central Valley community about the sport. In one year, coach Behme's vision for the Fresno State lacrosse program in conjunction with community support and participation has made her vision become a reality.
Along with the success in the community, the Bulldogs were also solid in the classroom as the team had a GPA of 3.278 last year, earning Behme's squad Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Academic Squad honors. Last year 11 of Behme's student-athlete's earned Academic All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors and three student-athletes were named to the IWLCA All-Academic Team.
Over 200 people have showed up for free clinics the Bulldog coaching staff and players have put on for the community. Local girls, coaches, high school administrators, and interested umpires made the clinics a smashing success. This was instrumental in the explosion of over 200 local girls playing high school lacrosse in the spring of 2009.
Along with teaching local members of the Fresno community about the sport, the team also was very active in the community. The team was awarded the Athletic Directors Community Service Award for completing almost 500 hours of volunteer work in the Valley.
Behme came to Fresno with a wealth of women's lacrosse experience after spending nine seasons as the head coach of Division III Nazareth College women's lacrosse program. She has 15 years of head coaching experience and boasts an impressive 136-75 record. She coached as SUNY Geneseo in New York for four years before being named the head coach at Nazareth where she coached for nine years and compiled an impressive 115-39 record. During the nine years she guided the Golden Flyers of Nazareth to six NCAA Division III tournament appearances, while coaching seven national All-Americans, one Division III Goal Keeper of the Year and 27 regional All-Americans.
The success Behme had at Nazareth resulted in many accolades for the first year Fresno State coach. She was named Empire 8 Conference Coach of the Year in 2008, marking the fifth time she has received honor. Behme also garnered the award in 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2006.
During Behme's nine years at Nazareth she had her teams regularly ranked among the small-college elite teams. In 2000 she guided Nazareth to a school record 16 victories, the Empire 8 conference title and the programs first-ever NCAA berth. Nazareth also gained NCAA automatic berths in 2002, 2005, 2006 and in 2004 and 2007 they earned at-large selections.
Under Behme's direction, the Golden Flyers enjoyed one of their finest seasons ever in 2006 as they finished the regular season as one of only three unbeaten teams in the country at 14-0. Nazareth received a first-round bye to the NCAA Tournament, then lost a tough 10-7 decision to Franklin & Marshall in the quarterfinals. Behme was also recognized that year as NYSWCAA Coach of the Year and I.W.L.C.A. Empire Region Coach of the Year.
In addition to lacrosse, she coached soccer at SUNY Geneseo and posted a record of 38-32-1. She started the lacrosse program at SUNY Geneseo in 1996 and guided the team to a 9-4 finish in 1999 and a spot in the Sunyac championship game vs. powerhouse and alma mater Cortland State. The same season she was named SUNYAC Coach of the Year.
Behme also has had coaching stints in lacrosse and soccer at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va. and at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. As an athlete, Behme was a collegiate All-American in both soccer and lacrosse at Cortland. In soccer, she helped the Red Dragons to a national championship in 1992 while earning All-America honors. She was a two-time All-American in lacrosse and was selected to compete in the North-South Senior all-star game in 1993. Behme also was awarded the 1992-93 Female Athlete of the Year at Cortland State.
The Bulldog coach played semi-pro soccer in the "W" league from 1996-97 for the Rochester Ravens and then took on a challenge and became a professional mountain bike racer from 1999-2001. Behme raced for Team Ted Wojcik on the professional N.O.R.B.A. Chevy National Championship Series. In 2004-05, Behme was the assistant captain for the USA National handball team. She topped off her career on the national team as a starting wing in the Pan American championships in Sao, Paulo, Brazil.
Behme graduated from SUNY Cortland in 1993 with a degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies. She has a Master's degree in recreation from SUNY Brockport.
