Coach of NJ's top girls soccer team suspended for playoff game after champagne bottle celebration

A New Jersey girls' soccer coach has been suspended for a playoff game for celebrating a milestone victory with a champagne bottle.

Paul VI coach Karen Anderson was seen on video celebrating her 100th career win, a 2-0 win over Notre Dame in the South Jersey, Non-Public A quarterfinals, by what appeared to be popping the bottle on school property after the game.

Anderson told NJ.com that she did not drink from the bottle, which was bought and given by parents of members on the team. Anderson did not say whether the bottle had alcohol in it.

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A college soccer goalie's attempt at clearing the ball went off the rails when it clobbered an attacking player in the head. (iStock)

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) rulebook states that "[p]layers and coaches involved with alcohol/tobacco/illegal substances during or after the game at the game site or on school property, including chartered buses, shall be suspended from NJSIAA tournament play for one year and be denied any championship rights." So, perhaps the punishment is rather lenient.

Anderson told the outlet that she was "not surprised" that the video was coming to light "given our success."

"It’s really unfortunate that there are people out there looking for an opportunity to ruin all the hard work that I’ve put into this program," she said of the video, which has since been deleted from social media.

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General view of the Borussia Dortmund stadium before the DFB Cup 2026/27 match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Betis Balompie at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, on Nov. 4, 2026. (Getty Images)

"There sure are a lot of people that would look for a target to take an opportunity. It’s really unfortunate that somebody will find that one opportunity to jump on and try to take down everything that you have put into this."

"While Coach Anderson did not consume the contents of the bottle, Paul VI does not condone this behavior and recognizes the importance of upholding the standards of conduct expected of our coaches," Paul VI said Friday in a statement to the outlet.

Red Bank Catholic girls soccer fell to Paul VI 2-1 in the Non-Public South A final in Red Bank, N.J., on Nov. 8, 2022. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

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Paul VI's girls' soccer team is the top-ranked team in the state and is two wins away from clinching its third-consecutive Non-Public A state championship.