Spring is a time for new beginnings, but the season began on a somber note for the Garnet family. Maureen O’Shea, the 56-year-old coach of the girls’ lacrosse team, passed away March 13 after a battle with cancer.
Girls’ Lacrosse Team Dedicates Season to Memory of Coach O’Shea
In only three years as head coach of the Garnets, Maureen O’Shea was able to leave a lasting legacy.
“The first person that comes to mind when you think of girls’ lacrosse is coach O’Shea,” said Rob Castagna, Rye’s Director of Athletics. “Maureen was here for a short time, but made a tremendous impact on the program. The kids right away felt her passion for lacrosse, which was strongly matched by her knowledge of the game. She was an ambassador and advocate for it everywhere she went.”

Rye huddles up in what was their last game under the guidance of O'Shea
Castagna continued, “She saw the kids for everything they brought to the table. If one of her student-athletes had a high GPA, she knew about it and would put her up for an academic award. It was good to see her go out of the way to get girls recognized for the accolades they deserved.”
O’Shea – a 1971 Rye graduate – coached her alma mater to two Section finals. Each time the Garnets had the crown within their grasp, but came up impossibly short. In 2007, they fell 13-12 to Nanuet in sudden-death double overtime.
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