NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. - On Monday afternoon the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) announced their Regional Coaches of the Year for the 2021 campaign. Among the honorees was Heather McKay, who was named the Division III Metro Region Coach of the Year for the first time in her career. McKay led the Falcons to their most successful season in program history, advancing to the Elite Eight.
The Falcons finished the 2021 season with an overall record of 18-1 with McKay leading Messiah to their deepest run in the NCAA Tournament history, earning a first-round bye and picking up a pair of victories to move into the National Quarterfinal. The Falcons ranked fifth in the final IWLCA Division III National Rankings.
The Falcons dominated the regular season with 13-straight victories to put together a perfect 13-0 record with 12 of their wins by double-digits. Three more wins in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament, including a 17-10 victory over York in the Championship Game, earned the Falcons their eighth Conference Championship in program history and sent them into the NCAA Tournament. Messiah earned a First Round in the National Tournament before defeating Illinois Wesleyan in the Second Round and SUNY Cortland in the Sweet 16. The Falcons' magical 2021 season came to an end in the Elite Eight against St. John Fisher, but Messiah tied a program record for wins in a season and advanced farther in the NCAA Tournament than ever before.
As a team, Messiah was dominate on both sides of the ball this season. The Falcons finished with the eighth best scoring defense in the country, allowing 5.74 goals per game, and 13th in scoring offense, netting 17.42 goals per contest. As a result, Messiah had the sixth-highest margin of victory for the 2021 season at 11.68.
For her leadership, McKay was named the MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year for the seventh time in her career. In her career, McKay holds an overall record of 179-69 with seven Conference Championships in 14 seasons at the helm of the Messiah women's lacrosse program.
