NASHVILLE — Vanderbilt has hired Beth Hewitt as the third head lacrosse coach in Commodore history, Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletics Director David Williams announced on Tuesday.
Hewitt spent the past four seasons at VU as an assistant and associate head coach in charge of the Commodores’ defense.
“Following a nationwide search for our next head lacrosse coach, Beth Hewitt‘s name, experience and resume stood taller than a group of truly outstanding candidates,” said Williams. “Add to all of that the passion Beth has to make Vanderbilt Lacrosse the best program in the country and her dedication to Vanderbilt and our young ladies, and we are extremely proud and excited to have Beth Hewitt as our Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach. Beth is a winner.”
“It is a great honor and privilege to be named the next head lacrosse coach at Vanderbilt University,” said Hewitt. “I am grateful to the administration for giving me the opportunity to lead such a talented and driven group of student-athletes. The unparalleled combination of academics and athletics here at Vanderbilt helps us to create an experience for our players that is second-to-none. I am committed to building a championship-caliber program that adds to the rich history of lacrosse here at Vanderbilt University.”
Under Hewitt’s leadership in 2018, the experienced Commodore backline finished fifth in Division I with 23.59 ground balls per game and 12th nationally with 11.0 caused turnovers per game. Senior defender Margaret Fee was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team as a leader of the defensive unit that featured three seniors in Fee, Frankie Angeleri and Mary Claire Dachille.
In 2017, the Commodore defense stood tall after the implementation of the 90-second shot clock. The Dores allowed fewer than 10 goals five times that season and finished 5-0 in those games. Against Butler, the Commodores allowed only four goals, the fewest since Feb. 7, 2015 against Kennesaw State.
Hewitt played a key role in recruiting the Commodores’ rising sophomore class, which saw seven players crack into the starting lineup during their freshmen season in 2018.
On Sept. 2, 2015, Hewitt was promoted to associate head coach after one year as the Commodores’ defensive coordinator.
Hewitt was hired in June 2014 due to her vast experience as a head coach, assistant coach and as an all All-American player at midfield. Prior to her stint at Vanderbilt, Hewitt spent five years as a head coach at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y., where she built the Dolphins into a Division II national power. In her five years at the helm, Le Moyne compiled an astonishing record of 71-19 (.789) with a 43-5 (.896) mark in the Northeast-10 Conference.
Hewitt guided the Dolphins to two Final Fours, three NCAA Tournaments and two NE-10 regular season championships and conference tournament titles. During a three-year stretch from 2011-13, the Dolphins compiled a 50-8 record, winning at least 16 games every year and losing no more than three games in a season. In 2011, the New York native led Le Moyne to a school-record 18 wins and its first of two trips to the Final Four.
Hewitt has built a reputation for forging success at programs in transitional phases. In 2005, a year after she ended her heralded playing career at North Carolina, she embarked on a three-year stint at Oregon, where she helped launch the Ducks’ lacrosse program. Hewitt served as Oregon’s defensive coordinator and helped recruit the program’s first recruiting classes.
In 2009, Hewitt earned her first head-coaching job at Le Moyne, where she took over a program in the midst of a reclassification process. During Hewitt’s first season in 2010, the Dolphins finished 9-6 as an independent in Division I. The next year, Le Moyne shifted to Division II, where Hewitt quickly turned the Dolphins into a national power. In 2011, Le Moyne made its first of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, reached the Division II Final Four and set a school record with 18 wins.
In 2012, the Dolphins again reached the Final Four. They also captured their first of two straight Northeast-10 Conference regular season championships with a perfect 12-0 record in league play. The dominance continued in 2013 with another perfect run through league play for the program’s second conference title. The Dolphins then won their first conference tournament crown, punching their ticket to the sixth NCAA Tournament in school history.
As a student-athlete at North Carolina, Hewitt was an All-American, All-ACC selection and four-year letterwinner as a midfielder. She led the Tar Heels in scoring her last two seasons. During her career, UNC claimed an ACC title and reached the NCAA Final Four.
In addition to receiving her bachelors degree in Communication Studies at North Carolina and masters degree from Oregon in Educational Leadership, Hewitt has worked extensively with Ameriprise Financial as a recruiter, Harrow Sports Inc. in the field of consulting and Brine in the area of marketing and sales.
Beth and her husband, Erik, have a daughter, Keegan, and a son, Kaden.
