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Over the course of his first three seasons at the helm of the Villanova Women's Lacrosse program, Jebb Chagan has built a strong foundation as the Villanova program moves toward a 2010 move to the BIG EAST Conference. The impact of the seventh head coach in the program's history has been significant. Villanova posted a four win improvement in his second season and has slowly created a structure for a program that had gone 1-16 the year before he was tapped to become the head coach. The Wildcats are now pointed towards membership in one of the nation's leading athletic conferences, the BIG EAST, in time for the 2010 season. Under Chagan's stewardship the Wildcats have succeeded off the field as well. The Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coache's Association (IWLCA) honored Villanova for its classroom success as the squad posted a 3.015 overall grade point average in 2006-07. In addition, senior Christina Bahrs was named to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Spring All-Area squad and was also recognized by the IWLCA for her academic achievements. Junior Laura Garrett was also honored. There is great optimism about the 2009 season as well. A strong corps of underclassmen will be augmented by a quality recruiting class that has the ingredients to help fuel a rise. The Wildcats posted a 3-14 record in Chagan's 2006 debut as he implemented a new system for a club that had won only two games in the previous two seasons. However, the seeds for future success were sown and begun to pay dividends. In 2008, Villanova faced a series of injuries, including one that cost it midfielder Erica Rybinski for the entire season. The Wildcats completed the season with a 4-13 record. Chagan came to Villanova from Chestnut Hill College where he was the head women's lacrosse coach from 2003-05. During his stint at Chestnut Hill, Chagan recruited the largest incoming freshman class in the program's history, improved the quality of the schedule to include both locally and nationally ranked opponents, oversaw successful team fundraising efforts and implemented a team-required community service program. Prior to his stay at Chestnut Hill, Chagan was an assistant coach and goalie trainer at Saint Joseph's University from 2001-04. In 2003, the Saint Joseph's goalies ranked 11th in Division I in goals allowed. Chagan also served as the assistant women's soccer coach at Saint Joseph's from 2001-04. Chagan has had extensive high school coaching experience as well. He was the head boy's lacrosse coach at Friends' Central School from 1998-99 prior to serving as the assistant coach from 1996-98. He was also the goalie coach for both the boy's and girl's programs at Friends Central from 1998-2000. Chagan was a goalie at Widener University from 1994-96. In 1996, he ranked in the top five for save percentage in the Mid-Atlantic Conference as a member of the Widener University Mid-Atlantic and Hudson Valley Conference Championship team. Chagan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Secondary Education from Widener in 1996. Chagan and his wife Julie reside in Upper Darby, Pa.
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