Athletics
Philosophy and Facilities
The Hockaday School Welcomes New Director of Athletics Melissa Coyne to Hockaday
The Hockaday School is pleased to announce Melissa Coyne as its new Director of Athletics and member of Hockaday’s Leadership Team.
Melissa serves as the Senior Director of Operations at The St. James, a state-of-the-art sports, active entertainment, and wellness facility in Springfield, VA, and previously served as the Athletics Director as well as the Assistant Athletics Director and Director of Lacrosse at The St. James. She was a member of the lacrosse team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has held several roles with USA Lacrosse, including Director of the National Team Development Program, Director of Games Administration, and Director of the Women’s Game. She also served as the NCAA National Coordinator of Officials for women's lacrosse.
Eugene McDermott Head of School Dr. Laura Leathers said, “After a thorough national search for exceptional candidates, we are thrilled to welcome Melissa to Hockaday. Her vast experience leading coaches and serving as an integral and innovative member of administrative teams will serve Hockaday well as we endeavor to provide unparalleled experiences for our students in Athletics. We remain dedicated to the Athletics cornerstone, and to the health and the well-being of every girl and look forward to the future of Hockaday athletics.”
In her current role, Melissa manages a complex sports operation with 15 sports, more than 300 travel teams, and a performance academy, and is a member of the senior leadership team. During her time with USA Lacrosse, she worked closely with the High-Performance Director and Athlete Development Model staff to establish an extended player pathway to the National team. Melissa also managed athlete engagement efforts, established an athlete/coach alumni network, created a player database, and developed policies, protocols, and standard operating procedures. In addition, she developed strategic alliances with non-profit organizations, including You Can Play, One Love Foundation, and Athlete Ally.
“It’s an incredible honor to join the Hockaday community,” said Melissa. “As someone who benefited from the transformational power of all-girls education and sports, I’m deeply committed to helping the next generation of student-athletes discover their confidence, purpose, and voice. I’m eager to collaborate with Hockaday’s talented coaches and staff to grow a program that reflects the School’s excellence and values.”
Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a native of Baltimore, MD, and is a huge Ravens Fan.
In addition, Interim Director of Athletics Jenn Johnson will return to her role as Assistant Director of Athletics and will continue to coach the Varsity Field Hockey team. “Melissa's proven leadership, commitment to student-athlete success, and strategic vision make her the ideal person to lead our athletic program into the future,” said Jenn. “I look forward to partnering with her to elevate our teams and foster a culture of excellence.”
We look forward to welcoming Melissa to Dallas and to Hockaday this summer.
The Hockaday School
Within the private school community, The Hockaday School is an independent college-preparatory day school for girls from grades PK–12 located in Dallas, Texas. Students realize their limitless potential through challenging academic curricula, arts, athletics, and extracurricular programs so that they are inspired to lead lives of purpose and impact.
The Hockaday School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, athletic, and other policies and programs.
The Hockaday School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, athletic, and other policies and programs.