DENVER-Former University of Denver women's lacrosse player Karin Hart (Centennial, Colo.) was recently named the head women's lacrosse coach at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo.

Hart graduated from DU with a degree in marketing in 2011 and has been interning with Insight Global, an IT staffing firm. Previously Hart interned at the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab, a non-profit, non-partisan institution that aims to educate, empower and engage individuals and organizations to help combat terrorism.

"Karin put everything she had out there when she was on the field," said head coach Liza Kelly. "We used to tease her that her last name was Hart, and that is pretty much the essence of her. She would do anything for a friend or a teammate. Those girls will be lucky to have her."

Hart who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2009 was given a clean bill of health in May 2011 is looking forward to starting a new chapter of her life.

"I'm looking forward to building the program," said Hart. "This is an amazing opportunity for me and a new start in my life. Coaching at a school in the same state that I went to high school and college in is really exciting. This couldn't be more of a perfect fit."

Valor Christian opened in 2007 and competes in the Colorado 4A athletics division.

"They are a fairly new program and have struggled a bit in the past," Hart said. "I've been working with the athletic department and the athletic director to really try and build a base to build the program for future years."