Search

Methodist University

Methodist University Athletics
 5400 Ramsey St. Fayetteville, NC 28311
Division 3 North Carolina Southeast
Private Small Competitive team
I'm interested in this program!

Coaches

Email coach

Kirsten McKay

Kirsten McKay was hired as the head coach of the women's lacrosse team in August of 2023. She took over the Monarch program following a four-year stint as the head coach of the Piedmont University women's lacrosse team.


During her first season at Methodist the team saw historic success, earning the USA South's regular-season crown following a perfect 9-0 mark against conference opponents. In doing so, McKay's squad defeated Meredith College, bringing an end to the Avenging Angels' 65-game win streak in regular-season USA South contests that dated back to 2015. Overall, the Monarchs went 15-3, posting a single-season program record of three shutout victories along the way.


The Monarchs had eight players receive All-Conference honors — including Defensive Player of the Year Kennedy Martin — and McKay was named Coach of the Year for the first time in her career.


As the top team in the conference, the Monarchs earned the No. 1 seed in the USA South Tournament and garnered home-field advantage for the First Round, Semifinals and Championship. Four members of McKay's squad made the All-Tournament team


While with the Lions, she compiled a 33-25 record, had 12 players named to the USA South Athletic Conference All-Conference teams, and won the 2021 USA South West Division Regular Season Championship. Her teams have also qualified for the USA South Women's Lacrosse Tournament each of the past three seasons. Off the field, the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) has honored her teams with the IWLCA Team Academic Award in 2021, 2022, & 2023. Additionally, in that time frame, nine of her student-athletes have be named to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll.


Before arriving in Demorest, she spent a year (2019) as an assistant coach at Young Harris College, a Division II institution. While there, she helped the Mountain Lions to an 11-7 record and a runner-up finish in the Gulf South Conference Tournament.


Prior to Young Harris, McKay spent three seasons at fellow D-II school Wingate University where she served as the assistant coach for two seasons, before being named interim head coach for the 2017-18 year. During her time with the Bulldogs, McKay helped coach 23 All-Conference players and had two players named to the IWLCA's Zag Sport Academic Honor Roll. As a team, Wingate was named to the Academic Honor Squad twice.


In 2017, the Bulldogs posted, at the time, a school-record for victories (13) and advanced to the South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse tournament championship game for the first time in the program's history. Wingate won 31 matches during McKay's (Smith) three seasons with the program.


McKay got into coaching following a four-year career at Lenoir-Rhyne University from 2012-15. She completed her Bears' career with 110 points (85 goals and 25 assists), 90 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers. The midfielder served as a team captain during her senior season.


McKay earned a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science with a minor in sport studies from Lenoir-Rhyne in 2015, and she received a Master of Arts degree in Sport Management from Wingate in 2017. She currently serves on multiple committees for the IWLCA including the Division III All-Region Committee for the Chesapeake Region, the Coaching Staff of the Year Committee, and the Division III Senior All Star Game Committee. Her husband, Ryan, is the head coach of the men's lacrosse program at Methodist.

show more
Email coach

Cecilia Musey

Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach

show more

College Bound Athletes

Showcase Tips

Are you ready for your next college showcase?
It has been extremely helpful in allowing me to locate schools in a certain geography or division. Having information about the coaches and lacrosse program gave me added background without hours of research!
- Jessie BrennanWhat are others saying?