Dartmouth Adds Assistant in Wiggins
from press release
HANOVER, N.H. -- Dartmouth head coach Amy
Patton has announced the hiring of Melissa
Wiggins, a veteran coach and administrator, as the Big Green's new
assistant coach and director of operations.
In addition to her on-field coaching and game preparation duties
at Dartmouth, Wiggins will help Coach Patton with the
administrative and operations tasks associated with running a
nationally-ranked lacrosse program.
Wiggins brings a host of college athletics experience including a
previous stint with Patton and the Big Green as an assistant coach
from 1997-98. Since then, Wiggins has served as the head women's
basketball coach and senior woman administrator at Randolph
College.
"Melissa brings great enthusiasm for the sport of lacrosse, a
spirited attitude, confidence and pride in our program and a wealth
of experience overall," said Patton. "I am really looking forward
to working with her as she is one of the most dedicated coaches
that I know. We are all excited to have the opportunity to have her
on our staff."
Since 1998, Wiggins was the head coach of Randolph's women's
basketball team, which competes in NCAA Division III. She was also
the athletic department's senior woman administrator, working
closely with coaches, student-athletes and college administrators
on a daily basis. She also served as an associate professor for the
physical education department.
Wiggins spent a year in Hanover from 1997-1998, assisting both the
field hockey and women's lacrosse programs. In 1998, Wiggins helped
the women's lacrosse team to the NCAA Final Four and an Ivy League
Championship after going 13-3 and a perfect 7-0 in Ivy play.
Prior to her arrival in Hanover, Wiggins spent eight years
coaching NCAA Division I women's basketball as an assistant at the
University of Virginia, Montana State University and James Madison.
She helped Virginia to three NCAA Final Four appearances and three
ACC Championships (1990, '91, '92) and saw James Madison make the
NCAA Tournament in 1996.
Throughout her basketball coaching career, Wiggins remained close
to lacrosse, serving as a United States Lacrosse Association
Umpire, officiating at all levels from high school to Division I
since 1998. She officiated the Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Tournament 12 times and was an alternate official for the NCAA
Division I Tournament in 2001, '05 and '06.
Wiggins earned her bachelor's degree in physical education from
Longwood College. She has master's degrees from both James Madison
University, in higher education, and the University of Virginia, in
sports psychology.
Patton enters her 19th year as Dartmouth's head coach and will be
joined by first-year assistants Wiggins and Allison Evans.
Long-time associate head coach Sarah Martin will serve as the Big
Green's volunteer assistant this spring.
Dartmouth women's lacrosse has won 10 Ivy League Championships and
advanced to 11 NCAA Tournaments and four Final Fours. The 2011
squad returns 10 starters from a team that ranked as high as
seventh in the nation in 2010.
