Lacrosse Appoints Wolford as Assistant Coach
7/13/2026 1:43:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty Lacrosse team and Head Coach Kelly Nangle have announced the addition of Jackie Wolford as its newest assistant coach. Wolford joins the coaching staff alongside Associate Head Coach Nina Dunay for the 2026-27 academic year.
"We are thrilled welcome Jackie to our program," Nangle said. "Her energy, experience and commitment to our student-athletes will be a tremendous asset to our team as we build towards a great season."
Wolford arrives to Lynchburg after serving as a Graduate Assistant at Grand Valley State over the past two seasons. She also coached club lacrosse at Lucky Lax across a span of four years (2020-24).
Before moving into coaching, Wolford competed at Kent State as an attacker for four seasons (2021-24) where she became the all-time leader in goals (197) and points (241) in Golden Flashes history.
She became the all-time Kent State leader in points in the midst of her junior season. Over her career she also tallied 68 games played, 44 assists, 92 draw controls, 64 ground balls and 30 caused turnovers.
As a student-athlete, Wolford was recognized as the 2023 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Player of the Year (2023), the MAC Freshman of the Year (2021) and is a three-time honoree to the MAC All-Conference first team.
Wolford also excelled on campus as a two-time selection to the CSC Academic All-District team (2023, 24), a three-time honoree to the Academic All-MAC team and was named a Distinguished Scholar Athlete in 2022.
Before arriving at Kent, Ohio, Wolford was inducted to the Worthington Kilbourne High School Athletic Hall of Fame. She was a team-captain across three sports including Volleyball and Basketball. Wolford was a first team all-state selection and was a two-time member of the all-league and all-region teams.
In her Freshman of the Year campaign, Wolford caught the attention of the league with 27 goals, 35 points and eight assists over 15 games started. She also contributed a presence in the draw circle with 19 draw controls, the second most on the team of non-midfielders. She was also recognized with a selection to the Second Team All-MAC.
As a sophomore, Wolford built on the previous year, appearing in all 18 games with 16 starts and contributing a team-high 41 goals and 47 points, along with six assists. Her efforts were awarded with her first of three selections to the First Team All-MAC.
Wolford ignited her junior season and was tabbed the MAC Offensive Player of the Year with a conference-leading 69 goals, which still stands as a Kent State record (tied with Kenzie Sklar, 2023). The attacker chipped in 13 assists for a team-leading and also program record, 82 points. She recorded seven game-winning goals and added 29 draw controls and 23 ground balls. As a team, Wolford led the Golden Flashes to their best finish in program history with a 10-8 mark (7-1 MAC).
To wrap her Kent State career, Wolford registered 60 goals in her senior season with a career-high 17 assists for a total of 77 points.
In her first season on Grand Valley State's coaching staff in 2025, she helped the squad to a 16-record (8-0 GLIAC) and reached the second round of the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship (Division ll). In her second season, she helped the Lakers to a 12-8 season, headlined by Ella Boose recording 60 goals and 73 points. Across her two seasons coaching, Grand Valley State led the league with a combined 520 goals and secured the conference title in both seasons.
A Columbus, Ohio native, Wolford was raised in a lacrosse family. Her father, Bill Wolford, was named to the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame as a prominent high school coach after playing at Ohio State. Her brother played Lacrosse at Bellarmine while her sister competed at Fresno State.
Wolford joins Liberty with a goal to reclaim top honors in the Atlantic Sun. Liberty secured its first-ever conference title in 2025, but fell short in the ASUN semifinals last season.
"We are thrilled welcome Jackie to our program," Nangle said. "Her energy, experience and commitment to our student-athletes will be a tremendous asset to our team as we build towards a great season."
Wolford arrives to Lynchburg after serving as a Graduate Assistant at Grand Valley State over the past two seasons. She also coached club lacrosse at Lucky Lax across a span of four years (2020-24).
Before moving into coaching, Wolford competed at Kent State as an attacker for four seasons (2021-24) where she became the all-time leader in goals (197) and points (241) in Golden Flashes history.
She became the all-time Kent State leader in points in the midst of her junior season. Over her career she also tallied 68 games played, 44 assists, 92 draw controls, 64 ground balls and 30 caused turnovers.
As a student-athlete, Wolford was recognized as the 2023 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Player of the Year (2023), the MAC Freshman of the Year (2021) and is a three-time honoree to the MAC All-Conference first team.
Wolford also excelled on campus as a two-time selection to the CSC Academic All-District team (2023, 24), a three-time honoree to the Academic All-MAC team and was named a Distinguished Scholar Athlete in 2022.
Before arriving at Kent, Ohio, Wolford was inducted to the Worthington Kilbourne High School Athletic Hall of Fame. She was a team-captain across three sports including Volleyball and Basketball. Wolford was a first team all-state selection and was a two-time member of the all-league and all-region teams.
In her Freshman of the Year campaign, Wolford caught the attention of the league with 27 goals, 35 points and eight assists over 15 games started. She also contributed a presence in the draw circle with 19 draw controls, the second most on the team of non-midfielders. She was also recognized with a selection to the Second Team All-MAC.
As a sophomore, Wolford built on the previous year, appearing in all 18 games with 16 starts and contributing a team-high 41 goals and 47 points, along with six assists. Her efforts were awarded with her first of three selections to the First Team All-MAC.
Wolford ignited her junior season and was tabbed the MAC Offensive Player of the Year with a conference-leading 69 goals, which still stands as a Kent State record (tied with Kenzie Sklar, 2023). The attacker chipped in 13 assists for a team-leading and also program record, 82 points. She recorded seven game-winning goals and added 29 draw controls and 23 ground balls. As a team, Wolford led the Golden Flashes to their best finish in program history with a 10-8 mark (7-1 MAC).
To wrap her Kent State career, Wolford registered 60 goals in her senior season with a career-high 17 assists for a total of 77 points.
In her first season on Grand Valley State's coaching staff in 2025, she helped the squad to a 16-record (8-0 GLIAC) and reached the second round of the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship (Division ll). In her second season, she helped the Lakers to a 12-8 season, headlined by Ella Boose recording 60 goals and 73 points. Across her two seasons coaching, Grand Valley State led the league with a combined 520 goals and secured the conference title in both seasons.
A Columbus, Ohio native, Wolford was raised in a lacrosse family. Her father, Bill Wolford, was named to the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame as a prominent high school coach after playing at Ohio State. Her brother played Lacrosse at Bellarmine while her sister competed at Fresno State.
Wolford joins Liberty with a goal to reclaim top honors in the Atlantic Sun. Liberty secured its first-ever conference title in 2025, but fell short in the ASUN semifinals last season.
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