In 1980, women’s club soccer became an official varsity team sport with the hiring of coach Denise Dallamora. 35 years later, Dallamora has led the Judges to 15 postseason berths—including eight appearances in a row from the 2003 to 2004 season to the 2010 to 2011 season—and 300 victories. 

Dallamora is just the third coach from New England to reach the 300-win mark and one of only 35 from all three NCAA divisions to reach the achievement. 

She led the team to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in the 2012 to 2013 season, an improvement on the team’s two other trips to the tournament—a first round exit during the 1988 to 1989 season and a second-round berth in the 2010 to 2011 season. 

Dallamora, ever the pragmatist, always focused on team success and quick to deflect personal accomplishments, was happy she recorded her 300th win last weekend against Clark University—the Judges’ second game of the year.

When asked if it was important that the victory came early on during the season, Dallamora responded emphatically with one simple word.

“Completely,” she said. 

“I’m so glad it’s over with … I’m glad it is over so that we can move on [and be able to focus on the rest of the season].”

The Judges’ postseason was cut short last year, as the second-ranked squad fell in the opening round of last year’s Eastern Conference Athletic Conference Tournament to Castleton State University, leaving Dallamora just one win shy of her 300th career win. 

Toward the end of the summer the Athletics Department began a social media campaign to give the coach and her team as much possible recognition in their quest for win number 300—headlined by the Twitter hashtag “Denisefor300.” 

In the days leading up to the squad’s season opener on Aug. 29 versus the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Athletics Department made a push in support of Dallamora both online and around the University campus. 

“It felt great [knowing everyone was behind the effort],” Dallamora said of the social media campaign. 

“I don’t like all the attention, personally, but it’s very nice for people to recognize the accomplishment,” she continued.

Though the team dropped their home-opener 1-0 to MIT, they would not have to wait long to earn Dallamora her 300th win. 

Two days later, the squad traveled to Worcester, Mass. to take on Clark University. 

Backed by the social media campaign, a 60th-minute goal from forward Samantha Schwartz ’18 was all the Judges needed to defeat the Cougars and give Dallamora her landmark win.

Over the course of her 35-year career, through back-to-back ECAC championships, one win stands out for Dallamora. 

“I have several favorites, but one of my favorites was a long time ago when [Senior Associate Director of Athletics] Lynn Dempsey [’93, M.S. ’04] was playing … and she scored a header to beat [Washington University in St. Louis],” she recalled. “They had an 11 game winning streak and we crushed it.” 

The Judges did not make their coach wait for win number 301, either, defeating Lasell College in their next game.