Mary Ann Meltzer was named the Lawrence Tech Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach in 2015. Her resume is highlighted by four consecutive trips to the NAIA playoffs (a likely fifth trip was canceled when the COVID-19 Pandemic cut short the 2020 season), four WHAC championships, a national runner-up finish, and a National Coach of the Year award.
The Blue Devils had their best season in program history during the 2022 season. The Blue Devils finished their season with an overall record of 17-1 and a perfect 9-0 in conference. Coach Meltzer had the #1 team in the nation for four straight weeks as she led her team to the national championship game. The Blue Devils would end their season as the NAIA national runner-up. After a remarkable undefeated regular season, Meltzer was named NAIA Coach of the Year for the first time in her career at LTU. Meltzer was admired to coach five NAIA All-Americans, two NAIA national defensive player of the weeks, five All-Conference First Team selections, three All-Conference Second Team honorees, and one Champions of Character team member. The team was third in the NAIA for goals-against average with 6.38, fourth in caused turnovers with 224, fifth in save percentage with 50.9, seventh in the nation for both shots and assists with 601 and 149, eigth in draw controls with 270 and eigth in shots on goal with 455, and the team ranked 9th in both goals (280) and goals-per game (15.56).
The women's lacrosse program has been a perennial national tournament contender under Meltzer as they have won over 70% of their games (70-28) in her six years on their way to five NAIA tournaments, advancing to the Final Four in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021. She has coached 17 NAIA All-Americans (12 first team selections), 17 All-WHAC performers (12 first team selections), and 19 WHAC All-Academic team selections.
In her second season, the 2016-17 squad was the NAIA National runner-up and WHAC Co-Conference Champions. That squad featured the NAIA National Player of the Year, four First Team All-Americans, one Second Team All-American, and the IWLCA NAIA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. For her efforts, Meltzer was named National Coach of the Year, as the Blue Devils posted an 18-2 record and finished the season ranked #2 in the national polls. She was also recognized by the University as the recipient of the Mary E. and Richard E. Marburger Distinguished Achievement Award – one of LTU’s most prestigious awards. The honor is given annually to the faculty or staff member who brings distinction and notoriety to the University.
Before taking over at LTU, Meltzer coached for three years at Olivet College (NCAA Division III), where she took the team from last in the conference to a conference semifinals appearance in three seasons. Before that, she was the first NCAA Division I women's lacrosse head coach in Michigan when she started the University of Detroit Mercy women’s lacrosse program. Meltzer cut her teeth in the collegiate coaching ranks as the head coach of the University of Michigan’s highly successful women’s lacrosse club team for five years, amassing a record of 93-22 (.809 winning percentage). At Michigan, her teams advanced to the WDIA National Tournament every year, going to the national semifinals three times and the national championship game once.
Meltzer’s coaching prowess is an extension of her success as a player. A two-time All-American at the University of Maryland, Meltzer was the National Offensive Player of the Year as a senior in 1990, when she led the Terps to a spot in the National Championship game. She also spent five years as a member of the US Lacrosse National Squad. In 2002, Meltzer was named a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 50th Anniversary Team.
In 2019, Meltzer was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator. In that capacity, she oversees women’s basketball, softball, women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s volleyball and is a primary liaison with the University administration relative to student-athlete development.
A native of Worthington, Ohio, Meltzer was inducted into the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2002. She was similarly honored with induction into the Michigan Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2012. A former member of the US Lacrosse Board of Directors and current member of the IWLCA Board of Directors, Meltzer is a frequent clinician and tireless advocate for creating opportunities for women to compete in athletics.
Meltzer is the proud mother of two. Son, Austin, and daughter, Emily.
