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Bill Wood
Head Coach Jess Lanham 2021 Headshot

Jessica Lanham

  • Title
    Head Coach
  • Email
    jnseay@smcm.edu
  • Phone
    240-895-4319
  • Alma Mater
    Salisbury '14, M '16
  • Year at SMCM
    Nine Seasons
  • Hometown
    Port Republic, Md.

Jessica Lanham became the ninth head coach in program history in June 2016.

In her nine seasons with the Seahawk field hockey program, Lanham became the program's all-time winningest coach with 80 career wins. She led SMCM to four conference regular-season titles, two NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, and two conference tournament championship titles.

Lanham mentored 11 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Region honorees, 34 All-Conference selections, and three conference Rookies of the Year while coaching four Seahawks to six Player of the Year awards.

She also demanded excellence in the classrom as St. Mary's College produced 112 NFHCA National Academic Squad members as well as 142 selections to the conference All-Academic Teams. Additionally, the squad earned nine NFHCA National Academic Team awards while 16 Seahawks combined for 31 NFHCA Scholar of Distinction honors.

THE LANHAM FILE AT ST. MARY'S COLLEGE
  • 11 NFHCA All-Region honorees (Three First Team selections)
  • 2 NCAA Division III Tournament appearances (2023, 2024)
  • 1 United East Conference Tournament Championship Title (2024)
  • 1 United East Conference Regular Season Title (2024)
  • 1 Atlantic East Conference Tournament Championship Title (2023)
  • 3 Atlantic East Conference Regular Season Titles (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • 1 United East Conference Coach of the Year (2024)
  • 2 Atlantic East Conference Coaching Staff of the Year (2021, 2022)
  • United East Conference Player of the Year (1): 2024 - Emma Watkins '26
  • Atlantic East Conference Player of the Year (1): 2023 - Brenna Ziegler '26
  • United East Conference Defensive Player of the Year (1): 2024 - Charlotte Horn '25
  • Atlantic East Conference Defensive Player of the Year (3): 2021 - Sophie Carlson '22 ... 2022 and 2023 - Charlotte Horn '25
  • United East Conference Rookie of the Year (1): 2024 - Sophia Kent '28
  • Atlantic East Conference Rookie of the Year (3): 2021 - Charlotte Horn '25 ... 2022 - Brenna Ziegler '26
  • 9 All-United East Conference awardees (Four First Team selections)
  • 17 All-Atlantic East Conference performers (13 First Team selections)
  • 8 All-Capital Athletic Conference selections
  • 8 conference tournament appearances
ACADEMIC AWARDS
  • NFHCA National Academic Team (9): 2016-2024
  • NFHCA Scholar of Distinction (31)
    • Rachel Lansbury '22 (4x), Sophie Carlson '22 (3x), Kelly Shuman '15 (3x), Emma Mastrangelo '27 (2x), Caroline McDonald '27 (2x), Elena Pasko '27 (2x), Kelly Emge '22 (2x), Jillian Mazingo '25 (2x), Courtney Mellon '20 (2x), Alyssa Riggleman '27 (1x), Shelby Ennis '19 (1x), Jill Hayden '25 (1x), Maggie Howells '23 (1x), Celina Kaufman '23 (1x), Hayden Kesner '24 (1x), Jena Vanskiver (3x)
  • Atlantic East Conference Elite 20 Award (1): 2021 - Rachel Lansbury
  • 112 students-athletes on NFHCA National Academic Squad
  • 18 student-athletes on United East Conference Fall All-Academic Team (2024)
  • 67 student-athletes on Atlantic East Conference All-Academic Team (2020-2023)
  • 57 student-athletes on Capital Athletic Conference All-Academic Team (2016-2019)
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE
  • Graduate Assistant, Salisbury University (2014-16)
PERSONAL
  • M.Ed. - Salisbury University (2016)
  • B.S. in Elementary Education (ESOL minor) - Salisbury University (2014)
  • Four-year letter winner at Salisbury University (2010-2013) ... Two-year team captain ... Second Team All-Capital Athletic Conference (2013) ... Helped SU to 2013 national championship game ... Made four trips to NCAA Tournament ... Part of two Capital Athletic Conference championship teams (2011, 2013)
  • Lives in California with husband, Frank; sons, Noah and Joseph; daughter, Gracelynn; and dogs, Ellie and Dewey
SEASON OVERALL RECORD CONFERENCE RECORD POSTSEASON MILESTONE VICTORIES
2016 5-12 2-4 CAC Tournament First Round (No. 5 seed) First win (9-0 at Randolph-Macon, 9/7/16)
2017 8-11 2-4 CAC Tournament First Round (No. 5 seed)
2018 7-9 1-4 CAC Tournament First Round (No. 5 seed)
2019 13-5 2-3 CAC Tournament Semifinals (No. 3 seed) 25th career win (2-0 vs. Roanoke, 9/14/19)
Single-season record for wins
2020-21 1-1 Season Canceled (COVID-19)
2021 10-8 5-0 Atlantic East Regular Season Champions
Atlantic East Tournament
Runners-Up (No. 1 seed)
Program's first-ever undefeated conference record and
first-ever No. 1 seed
2022 13-4 6-0 Atlantic East Regular Season Champions
Atlantic East Tournament
Runners-Up (No. 1 seed)
50th career win (6-1 at Gwynedd Mercy, 10/5/22)
Matched single-season record for wins
2023 13-6 6-0 Atlantic East Regular Season Champions
Atlantic East Tournament Champions (No. 1 seed)
NCAA Tournament First Round
Matched single-season record for wins
2024 10-11 5-0 United East Regular Season Champions
United East Tournament Champions (No. 1 seed)
NCAA Tournament First Round
75th career win (3-0 at Wilson, 10/16/25)
TOTALS 80-67 29-15 4 CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON TITLES
2 CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT TITLES
2 NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES

Updated: August 7, 2025