Swarthmore College Athletics

Karen Emas Borbee began as the women's lacrosse head coach and Professor of Physical Education and Athletics at Swarthmore College in 1993. During her tenure, Borbee has been the head coach of four different sport teams: women’s soccer, basketball, lacrosse and field hockey.

In October 2020, she was named the Interim Director of Athletics and held the title until July 2021.

In 2019, Borbee was named a recipient of the 2019 Tewaaraton Legends Award.
 
Borbee holds an overall record of 290-222 in 32 seasons as head women’s lacrosse coach, the second most wins among current coaches in the Centennial Conference. During this time, she has produced nine All-Americans.
 
In 1984, Borbee graduated with honors from the University of Delaware, where she had an outstanding lacrosse career.  She currently still holds 18 different University of Delaware scoring records dating back to the 1981-1984 seasons. She was a three-time All-American and was a member of the 1981 and 1982 AIAW Division II National Championship teams and the 1983 NCAA Division I National Championship team. Borbee was also named Most Valuable Player at the NCAA tournament in 1983.
 
For 32 years, Borbee held the NCAA Division I record for most goals in a season (98). She still holds the record for most points in a game (16) and most goals per game in a career (4.65). In addition, she still holds two NCAA Championship records for Most Goals in a Game (7 in 1983) and Most Goals in a Tournament (17 in 1984). 
 
In 2001, Borbee was inducted into the US Lacrosse National Lacrosse Hall of Fame as well as the Pennsylvania Lacrosse Hall of Fame. She followed those honors with the inductions into the inaugural class of the University of Delaware Sports Hall of Fame as well as the Delaware County Sports Hall of Fame. She is a recipient of the Penncrest High School Distinguished Alumni Award and was inducted into the school's Athletics Ring of Honor in January 2017.
 
As a member of the USA team from 1981-1984 and 1988-1993, Borbee competed internationally on many occasions, representing the U.S. against Canada, Scotland, Wales, England, and Australia. Borbee was also a member of the 1989 World Cup team who won the World Cup Championship in Perth, Australia.
 
In addition to her lacrosse success, Borbee has served on a variety of committees including being named the chair of the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Rules Committee from 2007-2010.  She also was a co-founder of the Snell-Shillingford Coaching Symposium (http://www.centennial.org/Symposium/about), an opportunity for undergraduate female student-athletes in the Centennial Conference to explore career and leadership opportunities in athletics.
 
Prior to coming to Swarthmore College in 1990, Borbee spent six years as a mathematics teacher and coach at Strath Haven High School in Wallingford, Pa. Borbee currently resides in Swarthmore, Pa. with her family.