“To be honest, I want to return home to New Jersey and be with my family,” said Kwiatkwoski. “I’m grateful to Azusa Pacific for the opportunity it afforded me to be a head coach, and I truly enjoyed my time here. In fact, that is what made the decision so hard. I love my team and this university. I could not ask for a better place to be. The only drawback is the geographic location on the other side of the country from my family.”
Kwiatkowski, who played her high school and collegiate ball in Southern California, was born in New Jersey, and her family returned to the east coast during her 1999 freshman season at Point Loma Nazarene.
“It’s always been hard for me to be so far from my parents and siblings,” said Kwiatkowski, “and even when they moved back there during my freshman year at Point Loma, it was a struggle for me to stay at Point Loma. Being home during spring break two weeks ago confirmed in my heart that this is what I need to do. This is a decision I have prayed long and hard about.”
Kwiatkowski took over the Azusa Pacific reins in the August of 2005 after spending the 3 previous seasons as an assistant coach at Farleigh Dickinson University-Florham in Madison, N.J.
“I’m sorry to see Lori go,” said Azusa Pacific Director of Athletics Bill Odell, “but as a father and a grandfather, I understand and respect the pull of family upon the heartstrings.”
Kwitakowski, who currently sports a 39-43 record at Azusa Pacific, will coach the Cougars’ final 6 games, including the season-finale vs. Concordia in Azusa, Tuesday, April 24.
