From Laurel to a National Title for Nestor

Jim Nestor, like a lot of young boys growing up in the Laurel area, played traditional sports such as football and basketball. But as a middle school student he was introduced to the sport of lacrosse by Dan Hart, then the coach at Meade High.

Hart later became the head coach at Annapolis High, and before he stepped down in 1998, he won two state titles with the Panthers.

Nestor, who learned the game well from Hart, went on to participate in lacrosse, soccer and wrestling at Meade High. He was a four-year player in lacrosse and wrestling at Salisbury University and in 2002 he began a wildly successful run as the head women's lacrosse coach at the Division III school on the Eastern Shore.

His team made the NCAA finals only to fall one win short of a national crown in 2005, 2007 and 2009. But last fall the Sea Gulls made it to the top with a 7-6 comeback win over Hamilton of New York for the national title in women's lacrosse.

In nine seasons prior to this year Nestor, who grew up in Laurel, compiled a record of 157-20 overall with a league record of 52-2. He has been the Capital Athletic Conference coach of the year eight times.

He said the national title is still paying dividends nearly one year later.

"The big thing—it is helping us with recruiting," Nestor told Patch on Monday. "We have recruited a little bit more, with interest from kids who were looking at Division I. They may want to compete for a national title. That has definitely been a big factor and help for us."

 Nestor, who also coaches women's soccer at Salisbury, graduated from the school in 1990. He said many of his former lacrosse players are coaching at the club level, while former Annapolis resident Alicia Groveston is in her first season as the head coach at Division II Grand Valley State in Michigan.

This year's team improved to 10-1 overall with a win on Saturday over York (PA) College. The Sea Gulls, ranked No. 1 in the nation, host rival St. Mary's of Maryland on Saturday, April 2 at 2 p.m.

"Having that (national) championship, everyone is gunning for you," Nestor said.

Before returning to his alma mater, Nestor coached lacrosse and soccer at Gannon University in Erie, PA. He was also a coach at Frostburg State in western Maryland in the early 1990s. His wife, Linda, played lacrosse at Salisbury and graduated in 1992.

This year he is counting on his returning seniors. "They know what to expect," Nestor said. And that goes for the head coach as well.