Coaches

Samantha Hurley

Samantha Hurley was named the second head coach in the history of the Radford Women's Lacrosse program in July 2021.


"I would like to thank Director of Athletics Robert Lineburg and Associate Athletics Director Alix Guynn for having the confidence in me to lead the Radford lacrosse program," commented Hurley. "I am excited for this exceptional opportunity. The potential for this program and university is undeniable and I am eager to begin working with the student-athletes and compete for championships."


Hurley is leaving behind a strong record of success from her previous stop at Young Harris College. In her four seasons as the head coach, she guided the Mountain Lions to a 33-25 overall record and a 19-8 conference record while competing in the Gulf South Conference which is at the Division II level of the NCAA.


In her first three seasons between 2017 and 2019, she led Young Harris to two straight regular season conference titles in addition to a conference tournament title.


In 2018 Hurley was named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year while guiding the team to a program record eight players named to the All-Gulf South team. The program set a record in wins during the 2018 campaign as well with 14. Young Harris finished the season ranked fifth overall in the South Region NCAA Division II rankings, another program first.


Hurley would be named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year once again in 2019 when she led the program to an 11-7 overall record while going 7-1 in conference play. Young Harris saw six players named to the All-Gulf South team including one Player of the Year.


"We are excited to welcome Samantha Hurley to the Highlander family," commented Associate Athletics Director Guynn. "Samantha is no stranger to winning, as she was a part of several nationally ranked lacrosse teams during her time as a player at Lock Haven University. She has also excelled as an assistant and as a head coach at all levels of college lacrosse. We believe Samantha will do an outstanding job leading the program and believe the team will continue competing for championships under her direction."


Before her career at Young Harris, Hurley spent four years total as an assistant coach. Her coaching career began nearby at Roanoke College where she was an assistant coach for three years. While coaching with Roanoke her duties included skill instruction, practice, game planning/implantation, film analysis, and recruiting.


Hurley would spend one season as an assistant coach with Mercer after her coaching stint at Roanoke College. While with Mercer she helped guide the Bears to a 13-6 record in 2017 as they tied for third in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The 13 wins was a program best in the short three-year history of the program.


Hurley was a four-year member of the women's lacrosse team at Lock Haven University. She played both midfield and attack, helping Lock Haven win two conference championships and earn three bids to the NCAA Division II Tournament. She would end her career with nine goals and three assists for a total of 12 points. She also tallied 15 ground balls, 11 draw controls and eight caused turnovers in 30 games played.


Hurley would go on to graduate from Lock Haven in 2013 with her bachelor's degree in recreation management and a minor in psychology.

Heather Conklin

Heather Conklin joins Head Coach Samantha Hurley's staff after a decorated collegiate playing career at SUNY Brockport in Brockport, N.Y and a brief coaching stint at The College of Wooster.


A native of Penn Yan, N.Y., Conklin spent the past semester as the offensive coordinator at Wooster.


In her time at Brockport, Conklin earned her Undergraduate in Sport Management with a minor in Coaching, and her Masters in Physical Education: Athletic Administration.


Athletic Accolades

Second-Team All American, 2021

IWLCA Academic All-American (2021)

IWLCA First-Team All-Region (x2)

IWLCA Second-Team All-Region (x2)

SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Year (2021)

Brockport Female Athlete of the Year (2021)

First-Team All-SUNYAC (x4)

MVP, SUNYAC Championship (2019)

Single-Season Goal Record (71 games)

All-Time Program Goal Leader (222 games)

3rd in Program Points (275 points)

NCAA Tournament Appearances (x3)

Team Captain (x3)

SUNYAC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll (x4)

SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Week (x5)

SUNYAC Women's Lacrosse All-Decade Team for the 2010s

No Men's Lacrosse Program