James Dowell finished his first season as an assistant coach with the Union College women's lacrosse team in 2026.
In his first season with the program, Union posted a 14-7 (9-1 Liberty League) record to reach the conference title game for the second straight year and earn the program's first NCAA Tournament berth since 2015. Six of the team's seven defeats came against nationally ranked opposition as part of a schedule that placed the team 27th nationally in NPI. The team followed up with its first NCAA win since 2009 with a 21-5 victory over Mount Union in the first round that reset program records for most goals scored, fewest goals allowed and largest margin of victory in an NCAA Tournament game. The squad placed four players on the IWLCA All-Empire Region teams after the season, marking the most All-Region honorees for the team since 2010.
Dowell is a 2015 graduate of St. Lawrence University, where he spent three years as a long-stick midfielder with the men's lacrosse team.Â
