Rhodes College has announced that Alexis Kavanaugh has been hired as the next head field hockey coach, making her the fifth head coach in program history.
"Coach Kavanaugh will bring energy and passion that will help our program immediately," says Matt Dean, interim director of athletics. "I feel she is the right fit for our program and our players are thrilled to have her in Memphis. With us returning seven seniors from last year's NCAA Tournament team, we are excited about the upcoming season."
This will be Kavanaugh's first head coaching stint. She comes to Rhodes from Long Island University Brooklyn where she began as a graduate assistant last season, developing practice plans and scouting reports as well as recruiting for the Blackbirds. Before LIU, she was an assistant coach at Colgate University where she was responsible for working with the Raiders' attack, as well as assisting with game day operations and other administrative tasks.
"I am so blessed and honored to be named the new head field hockey coach at Rhodes College," says Kavanaugh. "This is an amazing opportunity at a beautiful campus. I'm excited to start the next chapter in my coaching career with a strong team of female student athletes. After meeting with the team, it was great to see the passion they have for the game."
Kavanaugh was a standout field hockey player for the NCAA Division I Ball State Cardinals, playing in all 71 games throughout her four-year collegiate career. She was a two-time All-MAC second team player in 2013 and 2015, and was the MAC Rookie of the Year in 2013.
She has a variety of experience in coaching field hockey at various camps throughout the Northeast, including at Syracuse and Hamilton College, the Beth Ander's High Intensity Field Hockey Camp, and the All-American Field Hockey Camps. Outside of field hockey, she has also held several internships in minor league baseball with the Fort Wayne TinCaps and in summer collegiate baseball with the Utica Blue Sox.
Kavanaugh graduated from Ball State University in 2017 with a degree in sports administration and is a native of Sherrill, New York.
Read more about Kavanaugh here.