Colorado is keeping the architect of its women’s lacrosse rise in place for the long haul.
The University of Colorado Boulder announced that head coach Ann Elliott Whidden has received a contract extension that runs through the 2029 season, following a landmark year for the Buffaloes. Athletic director Fernando Lovo made the announcement Tuesday.
Whidden, the only head coach the program has ever had, just guided Colorado through its best season yet. The Buffs won their first Big 12 conference tournament title, then made a run all the way to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight before falling to eventual national champion Northwestern on its home field in double overtime. Colorado finished 16-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play, matching the program record for wins, and Whidden earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honors.
“All of us were captivated by the incredible season our women's lacrosse team enjoyed last year, which was the continuation of the foundation of excellence that Coach Whidden has created at Colorado since she arrived at the program's inception,” Lovo said. “I am so proud of how she has led and mentored our student-athletes while creating a national lacrosse power and I'm thrilled that we are able to keep her in Boulder to continue this momentum.”
Whidden said the extension means a great deal to her personally and professionally.
“I want to thank Fernando, AD Emeritus Rick George and SWA Jill Keegan for the incredible opportunity to continue to lead this program,” she said. “I could not be more excited about the trajectory of our program, and I look forward to continuing to work hard to meet the high standards our program has set, and Buff Nation expects and deserves.
“Colorado is my home. This program has become an extension of my family and I feel very fortunate to have built so many amazing relationships during my time here. My family and I could not be more excited to be staying home and continuing to build this program.”
Whidden was hired in 2012 as Colorado’s first-ever women’s lacrosse coach, just two months after the program was officially created. Since then, she has built a 146-79 record over 13 seasons. Her teams have reached the NCAA tournament four times, including three consecutive trips from 2017 through 2019.
She also helped establish the program’s early conference success, leading Colorado to a Pac-12 regular season championship in 2018 and earning Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors that same season.
The success has extended beyond the field. Under Whidden, Colorado women’s lacrosse has posted a GPA of 3.0 or better in each of the last 24 semesters and 3.2 or better in each of the last 18. Last spring, during the team’s postseason run, the Buffaloes turned in a cumulative GPA of 3.716, the second-highest in the department.
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