Coach Zabel Selected to Danbury High School Athletics Hall of Fame

DANBURY, Conn. - University of Saint Joseph (USJ) head women's lacrosse coach Princess Zabel (Livingston) has been elected to the Athletics Hall of Fame at her high school alma mater, Danbury High School (Danbury), it was announced earlier this fall. The induction ceremony is set to take place this evening, Thursday, October 24, 2024 at The Amber Room in Danbury, Conn. Zabel will be part of the Hatters' nine-member Class of 2024.

Danbury's Hall of Fame Class of 2024 includes, Erin Boggan, Robert P. DiNardo, Thomas Goodell, Michael Guilbeault, Mason Gasper, Princess Zabel (Livingston), Donnie Perkins, Brad Pippa and Tucker Schaefer.

As a student-athlete at Danbury, Zabel was a standout on the lacrosse field, establishing a new school record for career points with 127, including 63 goals and 64 assists. During her four years at Danbury she was named an All-American honorable mention and was a two-time All-State honoree. As a senior in 2008, she led the Hatters to the Connecticut Division II State Championship, where she was named the Most Valuable Player. Zabel also played field hockey and basketball at Danbury. Following graduation, Zabel attended Villanova University, where she played on the women's lacrosse team from 2009-2012. 

After graduating from Villanova, Zabel began her coaching career as an assistant at the University of Mount Olive, before becoming a graduate assistant coach at Mercer University. She then returned to her collegiate alma mater, Villanova, in 2014 as the team's assistant coach and defensive coordinator, before becoming the program's recruiting coordinator ahead of the 2015-16 academic year. While at Villanova, she expanded recruiting to new territories such as New Zealand and Western U.S. to diversify prospects, and guided the team in a competitive BIG EAST schedule, securing the best conference record at the time and the team's first BIG EAST playoff appearance in 2015. She also helped develop four All-BIG EAST players and the 2015 BIG EAST Attack Player of the Year.

Zabel also spent three years as the head coach of nearby Division I Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). During her time at the helm of CCSU, the Blue Devils achieved countless statistical leaders, including the leading scorer and leader in draw controls of the Northeast Conference (NEC). Zabel also coached Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Academic team members, four All-NEC players, and 13 Academic All-Conference honorees. After departing CCSU, Zabel made stops at Bucknell University, Sacred Heart University, Cheshire Academy and High Point University, before being named the ninth head coach in USJ women's lacrosse history prior to the 2024 season.

Zabel enjoyed immediate success in her first season at the helm of USJ, guiding the Blue Jays to a 12-5 record overall, including a 10-1 mark in GNAC play, registering program records for overall wins and conference wins in a single season.

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