Johns Hopkins Head Coach Janine Tucker Set to Retire After 2022 Season

by Thomas McNeeley Oct 28, 2021

The winningest head coach in program history has decided to step away from the sideline at the conclusion of the 2022 season. Since arriving in 1993, Janine Tucker has won over 300 games with a .639 winning percentage for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. After a handful of successful seasons in the mid to late ’90s, the program transitioned to Division I in 1999 under Tucker’s watch.

"The decision to retire as a collegiate head coach, while difficult, came after some long, careful consideration and many conversations with our Director of Athletics, Jen Baker," Tucker said. 

A five-time IWLCA Regional Coach of the Year (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2014), Tucker has led the Blue Jays to 10+ wins in a staggering 22 of her 28 seasons. The team has made six NCAA Tournament appearances dating back to 2013 and made its debut in the Big Ten Conference in 2017.

Tucker decided this fall was the time to announce her retirement from the program as she explained to LSN’s Tom Eschen. “After 29 years there wasn’t really a good time to tell my team, but it started to feel right for me - that maybe there is a new chapter, not just for me, but for my squad and the program.” 

Tucker plans to still stay actively involved in the lacrosse community and continue to grow the sport. “It will be cool to spend some more time with my family and think of some new ways to help grow the sport and help grow coaches... I am just going to be the greatest Blue Jay supporter there is.”

“We are not using the “R-word” (retirement), we are just switching gears to a new chapter.”

Watch the full Interview with Janine Tucker at laxsportsnetwork.com