First, Amy Bokker fell in love with Stanford. Then, after she already was hired as women's lacrosse coach, her decision to switch coasts took on the sheen of destiny.
Before leaving Virginia, where she had coached for 11 seasons at George Mason University, Bokker arrived home after a day of recruiting for Stanford and noticed a man moving into a townhouse on the corner. When she approached him to offer a neighborly hello, he noticed her Stanford shirt. Turned out he was relocating from Menlo Park and looking for someone to rent his home there.
Call it real estate kismet. Bokker and husband Scott, parents of a 3-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter, now are happily ensconced in that house. Stanford's main season opens in February.
Bokker, 35, has the kind of energy that seems to discharge with every gesture or sentence. But what she talks about most passionately is what she wants to absorb: “There's just so much knowledge to gain from the coaches and community at Stanford,” she says.
Bokker's final season at George Mason was highlighted by a school-record 12 wins, with just five losses. Her teams ranked among the nation's top 20 six times, and her 2004 and 2006 squads received the team academic award from the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association, based on the players' overall GPA.
“What really stood out with Amy was her passion for the game of lacrosse and her ability to relate to student-athletes,” says Earl Koberlein, '86, senior associate athletic director at Stanford and a member of the hiring committee. “She truly cares about her student-athletes.”
