10 Thursday, June 29, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com SPORTS ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily Michigan men’s basketball coach John Beilein will have to replace two assistant coaches after Billy Donlon’s departure. Nielsen named next women’s lacrosse coach A week after former Maryland assistant Kevin Conry was hired as the Michigan men’s lacrosse coach, the women’s program filled that same opening. Athletic director Warde Manuel announced Monday that Hannah Nielsen, a member of the Australia women’s national team and assistant coach at Northwestern, will be the next coach of the Wolverines. “I am thrilled to welcome one of the most accomplished women’s lacrosse players of all-time to lead our program,” Manuel said in a statement. “Hannah has proven her ability to translate her skills and knowledge of the game into a successful coaching career. She has been a winner at every level, and I am confident she is prepared to lead our women’s lacrosse program.” Nielsen is one of the most accomplished players in the history of the sport. As a midfielder at Northwestern from 2006 to 2009, she won four national championships, three All- American honors and two Teewaraton Awards — which are given to the nation’s top college lacrosse player — in 2008 and 2009. She is also the Wildcats’ all- time leader in both points and assists, as well as the NCAA all-time leader in assists, single- season assists and assists in a single game. In international play, Nielsen is just as decorated. She was a part of Australia’s gold-medal winning team at the 2005 Women’s Lacrosse World Cup, and was named an All-Star at the 2009 and 2013 tournaments as Australia finished second and third, respectively. She is currently training with the national team as it prepares to compete in the 2017 World Cup in England next month. Nielsen’s coaching career began in 2009 at Penn State, and she has also coached at Towson, Colorado and most recently Northwestern, where she helped guide the Wildcats into the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. “I am extremely excited and honored to be named the new head coach of the women’s lacrosse program at the University of Michigan,” Nielsen said in a statement. “I am excited to take the next step in my coaching career in becoming a head coach, and could not think of a better place to start this new chapter. “I would like to thank Warde Manuel and Bitsy Ritt for this incredible opportunity and for their support so far. I am also grateful to Kelly Amonte Hiller, the Northwestern staff and athletic department for their ongoing support, and to my previous coaching mentors who have helped me get to this position. I am so excited to get started and for the future of this program.” LACROSSE The Australia national team member was formerly an assistant at Northwestern JACOB SHAMES Summer Managing Sports Editor “I am confident she is prepared to lead our program” “I could not think of a better place to start this new chapter” Donlon joins staff at Northwestern In the span of just five days, the Michigan men’s basketball team is down to one assistant coach. Scout.com’s Brian Snow reported Sunday afternoon that assistant coach Billy Donlon has accepted a similar position at Northwestern. Donlon, the former head coach at Wright State, was hired by the Wolverines just last May. The Chicago Tribune reported Friday that Wildcats head coach Chris Collins was trying to lure Donlon away from the Wolverines, due to Donlon’s deep ties to the Northwestern program. Donlon is a native of nearby Northbrook, Ill. and longtime friend of Collins, and his father spent seven years as an assistant coach of the Wildcats. And as it turns out, Collins was successful. “We are obviously disappointed to be losing Billy, however, we are happy he has the opportunity to be closer to his family, home and still coach in the Big Ten,” said Michigan coach John Beilein in a press release. “He is one heck of a coach who has been a great asset to our program over this past year. Over many years, Billy has sacrificed his family for coaching basketball. This time he chose his family first and no one can fault him for that. “We have had very talented coaching staff’s during my time here. That will not change. We have always embraced sudden change and have gotten better from it. I am excited to have this opportunity to bring in two new assistants who will bring us even more success in the future. The Team, The Team, The Team. Go Blue!” Donlon’s departure comes after assistant coach Jeff Meyer announced Tuesday he was leaving Michigan to join the coaching staff at Butler. Unlike Donlon, Meyer had nine years with the Wolverines prior to his departure. With Northwestern’s hiring of Donlon, Beilein will now have to fill two vacancies on his coaching staff for a second offseason in a row. Saddi Washington, who joined the staff along with Donlon last summer after being hired from Oakland, is the sole returning assistant for next season. An assistant coach at Michigan for one season, Donlon was targeted by the Wildcats due to his strong ties to the program JACOB SHAMES Summer Managing Sports Editor “He chose his family first and no one can fault him for that.”