Aug. 23, 2017
Lacrosse welcomes Lisa Gracey as Director of Operations
Head coach Cathy Swezey is pleased to announce Lisa Gracey as the new Director of Operations for the Vanderbilt lacrosse programs. Gracey comes to West End after working with a local marketing firm where she worked with clients like Red Bull, TEDx Nashville, Nashville Fashion Week, and the Nashville Scene.
“Lisa is going to bring a whole different outlook to our team,” said Swezey. “To land somebody like her in a position where we are hoping to continue to market our program, get better outreach to our alumni and create a great atmosphere for our athletes is important and she is going to be phenomenal with all of it.”
“I am thrilled to be working for such a prestigious university and am eager to be a part of an amazing crew of student athletes and coaches,” said Gracey. “Sports marketing has always been my passion so this position is really living the dream for me.”
Prior to that, Gracey worked with Red Bull North America as the Field Marketing Manager covering TN, AL, MS, and AR. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State with a degree in Public Relations and Marketing. She lives in Nashville with her husband Hugh Gracey III and their two kids, Morgan and Duke.
Gracey and Swezey look to reconnect with alumni
One of Gracey’s top priorities in her first few weeks on campus is to reconnect with past alumni. Swezey has been at Vanderbilt for over 20 years and has seen many players come through the doors on West End. Gracey and Swezey want to find ways that they can keep alumni connected with the program.
“A high priority during my first few weeks on campus is to reconnect with the Lacrosse Alumni and facilitate strong communication between former players and our current athletes,” said Gracey. “I look forward to welcoming alumni back to campus with a few fun events this school year and showcasing our great program.”
Gracey encourages alumni to reach out to her via email at lisa.a.gracey@vanderbilt.edu to be added to the Vanderbilt Lacrosse Newsletter. It gets sent out once a month and keeps everyone up to date with what is going on with the program and upcoming events where alumni can get involved. Alumni should also follow @VanderbiltLax on Twitter, Vanderbilt Women’s Lacrosse on Facebook and Vanderbiltlax on Instagram to stay up to date with everything Vanderbilt Lacrosse.
Swezey welcomes class of 2021 to campus
It is fitting that entering Swezey’s 21st season at Vanderbilt that she is welcoming the class of 2021 to West End this week. The incoming freshman class also happens to be her largest class in her time at Vanderbilt. Swezey welcomes 11 incoming freshmen this season hailing from Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Tennessee. She is excited to get them on campus and eventually out on the field to see how they will contribute to the squad this season.
“We have 33 girls on the roster and it is hands down the largest I have had at Vanderbilt,” stated Swezey. “I think this class is a very special group of kids. They are really talented, really bright girls, very hardworking and we know our upperclassmen like to be pushed.”
The freshmen will have a few weeks to get accustomed to campus and class before stepping out on the field for the first time. The Commodores will start their fall ball practices on September 4th.
