Director of Athletics and Recreation Scott Devine announced Thursday morning the hiring of Jessica Seay as the next head field hockey coach at St. Mary's College of Maryland. Seay becomes the ninth mentor in program history and will assume her duties in July.

Devine expressed, "We are excited to have Jessica join our Seahawks athletic family. She comes from a great field hockey pedigree and has learned from one of the best coaches in the business in Dawn Chamberlin."

A first-time collegiate head coach, Seay hails from perennial powerhouse Salisbury University. She was a four-year member of the Sea Gull field hockey program from 2010 until 2013, helping SU to the national championship game in 2013, four NCAA Tournament berths, and two Capital Athletic Conference championship titles in 2011 and 2013.

The Port Republic, Maryland native picked up second team All-CAC honors as a midfielder the same year Salisbury finished as the national runner-up, falling 1-0 to Bowdoin College in the title match. Seay stayed on as a graduate assistant coach for two years and assisted longtime head coach Dawn Chamberlin in leading the Sea Gulls to two more conference titles as well as an appearance in the NCAA semifinals in 2014.

"I am extremely excited to be joining the Seahawk family as I begin my career as a head coach. I am very thankful to be given this incredible opportunity. I would like to thank Athletic Director Scott Devine and the rest of the hiring committee for entrusting me with the future of St. Mary's College field hockey. I look forward to working with the team and building upon the prior success of the program," stated Seay.

Seay is taking over Katie Newkirk '06, who after eight successful seasons at the helm of the Seahawk field hockey program, will step down on June 15 to pursue a teaching career.  leaves as the program's all-time winningest coach with 68 victories and also holds the most CAC wins with 26. She led St. Mary's to eight consecutive berths in the CAC Tournament, advancing to the championship game in 2008 and to the semifinals in 2010 and 2012.

Seay graduated from Salisbury in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in elementary education and a minor in ESOL. She then pursued her Masters of Education from Salisbury as well and wrapped up the degree in May.