McNamara Named Assistant Field Hockey Coach
March 17, 2026 | Field Hockey
BOSTON - Lisa McNamara, who most recently served as an assistant coach at Division III powerhouse Middlebury, has been named an assistant coach for the Boston University field hockey program, as announced by head coach Sarah Shute.
McNamara comes to Boston after one season at Middlebury, where she helped the Panthers reach the NCAA regional finals and spend several weeks as the top-ranked team in the country. She was also the head coach for the U16 and U19 teams within the Green Mountain Girls Field Hockey Club and previously coached with the Patriot Field Hockey Club.
"I'm really excited to welcome Lisa McNamara to our staff at Boston University," said Shute. "Lisa brings a combination of high-level playing experience, analytical insight and a genuine passion for developing student-athletes. She has already shown a tremendous ability to connect with players and think strategically about performance and development, and I'm confident our players will benefit from her energy, perspective and dedication every single day."
McNamara coached three All-NESCAC players during her year at Middlebury with two of them going on to earn NFHCA All-America honors. She coached four different age levels in tournaments across the East Coast during her time with the Patriot Field Hockey Club and was responsible for creating practice plans that focused on foundational skills and teamwork.
A standout scholar-athlete at Providence, McNamara was a two-year captain and played five seasons while also being selected to participate in the 2022 Senior Nexus Championship as part of the Olympic Development Pathway program. She graduated in 2023 with a bachelor of arts in global studies before going on to earn a master's in business administration. She appeared in 77 career games in the midfield, totaling 36 points on 10 goals and 16 assists.
McNamara, a four-time NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad and Big East All-Academic Team honoree, was the recipient of Providence's Jane Thompson Award, presented to the male or female senior student-athlete who personifies all that is good about being a student-athlete and exhibits selflessness, dedication, loyalty, courage and perseverance. She served as the vice president of communications for the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was selected for the NCAA's Emerging Leaders Seminar in February 2024.
A native of Barre, Vermont, McNamara spent a season as the assistant varsity girls lacrosse coach at her alma mater, Rice Memorial High School, and also conducted private field hockey coaching lessons.
McNamara comes to Boston after one season at Middlebury, where she helped the Panthers reach the NCAA regional finals and spend several weeks as the top-ranked team in the country. She was also the head coach for the U16 and U19 teams within the Green Mountain Girls Field Hockey Club and previously coached with the Patriot Field Hockey Club.
"I'm really excited to welcome Lisa McNamara to our staff at Boston University," said Shute. "Lisa brings a combination of high-level playing experience, analytical insight and a genuine passion for developing student-athletes. She has already shown a tremendous ability to connect with players and think strategically about performance and development, and I'm confident our players will benefit from her energy, perspective and dedication every single day."
McNamara coached three All-NESCAC players during her year at Middlebury with two of them going on to earn NFHCA All-America honors. She coached four different age levels in tournaments across the East Coast during her time with the Patriot Field Hockey Club and was responsible for creating practice plans that focused on foundational skills and teamwork.
A standout scholar-athlete at Providence, McNamara was a two-year captain and played five seasons while also being selected to participate in the 2022 Senior Nexus Championship as part of the Olympic Development Pathway program. She graduated in 2023 with a bachelor of arts in global studies before going on to earn a master's in business administration. She appeared in 77 career games in the midfield, totaling 36 points on 10 goals and 16 assists.
McNamara, a four-time NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad and Big East All-Academic Team honoree, was the recipient of Providence's Jane Thompson Award, presented to the male or female senior student-athlete who personifies all that is good about being a student-athlete and exhibits selflessness, dedication, loyalty, courage and perseverance. She served as the vice president of communications for the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was selected for the NCAA's Emerging Leaders Seminar in February 2024.
A native of Barre, Vermont, McNamara spent a season as the assistant varsity girls lacrosse coach at her alma mater, Rice Memorial High School, and also conducted private field hockey coaching lessons.
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