A milestone night for Paul VI girls soccer turned into a suspension that will keep Karen Anderson off the sideline for a crucial playoff match.
Anderson, the head coach at Paul VI, was hit with a one-game suspension Friday after a video spread on social media showing her opening what appeared to be a champagne bottle on school property following Thursday’s 2-0 win over Notre Dame. The victory sent the Eagles into the South Jersey Non-Public A semifinals and gave Anderson her 100th career win with the program.
The school confirmed the suspension and said Anderson’s conduct did not meet its expectations for staff behavior. Anderson said she did not drink from the bottle, though she did not say whether the bottle contained alcohol.
The incident drew attention because New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association rules prohibit coaches and athletes from being involved with alcohol during or after games on school property. According to the original reporting by NJ Advance Media, parents had organized the celebration and presented Anderson with the bottle. A video that was later removed from Instagram showed Anderson opening it and setting it back on a table.
Paul VI worked with the NJSIAA to settle the matter with a one-game suspension instead of the harsher penalties outlined in the association’s rules. Those regulations say players and coaches connected to alcohol, tobacco or illegal substances during or after games at the venue or on school property can face a one-year suspension from tournament competition and lose championship rights.
NJSIAA spokesperson Mike Cherenson said the association was aware of the situation and had been in contact with Paul VI, but he would not go into further detail.
The timing is a real blow for a Paul VI team that is chasing its third straight Non-Public A state championship. The Eagles are 21-1, sit No. 1 in NJ.com’s statewide girls soccer rankings, and are ranked No. 16 nationally by United Soccer Coaches.
Anderson will serve the suspension Monday when Paul VI plays Immaculata in the sectional semifinal in Haddonfield. Immaculata enters at 14-4-1. A win would send the Eagles to the sectional championship and move them one step closer to another state title.
Last season, Paul VI finished 24-0 and won its second consecutive Non-Public A championship.
Anderson’s ties to the program run deep. She played soccer at Paul VI before going on to Rowan University, where she earned four varsity letters. She later played professionally with the Philadelphia Pirates and served as an assistant coach at Rutgers-Camden before continuing in player development and high school coaching.
Anderson told NJ.com she was frustrated by the controversy, saying the program’s success had helped fuel the attention around the incident.
Now, instead of celebrating a coaching milestone, Paul VI has to navigate a playoff game without the coach who has guided the Eagles through their championship run.
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