ITHACA, N.Y. -- Jennifer Baker, a well-respected high school lacrosse coach and Navy veteran, will join the Cornell women's lacrosse staff as a volunteer assistant coach on Jenny Graap's staff for the upcoming 2011 season.

"We feel so fortunate that Jen Baker landed in Ithaca to pursue her M.B.A. at Cornell," Graap said. "Jen is passionate about coaching, and our Big Red lacrosse family is grateful to have such and accomplish woman assisting our program. Jen's background in lacrosse combined with her military experience will be incredibly valuable to our efforts in leadership development with our squad."

Baker spent six seasons as head coach at Cape Henry Collegiate School in Virginia Beach, Va., leading her program to three conference regular season crowns, a pair of conference championship tournament titles and a state championship. Baker also coached two state runner-up squads while directing 25 all-conference, eight all-state and five All-America performers. Her teams posted a cumulative 64-32 record and earned her a pair of conference coach of the year honors. She coached the 2005 Virginia High School All-Star Classic and served as coach and adviser for several U.S. Lacrosse national tournament clubs.

A three-year letter winner who served as Executive Officer of the 1998 NIRSA National Club Championship team, Baker graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1998 with distinction in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in French. She was a member of the Engineering and Foreign Language Honor Societies as an undergraduate. Baker is currently enrolled in the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell as a Park Leadership Fellow.

After finishing her four years in Annapolis, Baker served as a pilot assigned to FA-18s, then later served as a project manager at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., and a facilities engineer at the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach. After finishing her service commitment, Baker went into private business before moving into teaching and coaching full-time at Cape Henry.

Baker has worked with several Cornell programs teaching yoga, including working with the women's lacrosse, men's ice hockey and men's golf programs.