The saying in sports goes: “Those who can’t do, coach.”
Jackie Neary is an exception to that saying. Her stellar playing career and 500 combined wins as a coach in both field hockey and lacrosse at the collegiate level prove that.
Neary has been the head women’s lacrosse coach and head field hockey coach since 1997.
Neary started the lacrosse program from scratch in 1996 and filled the field hockey vacancy a year later.
“To have someone with her character and her credentials come to Cabrini was a stroke of luck for the school,” said John Dzik.
Dzik was the athletic director responsible for hiring Neary and a remarkable coach in his own right.
“As an AD, you love to have women coaching women,” Dzik said. “She’s a role model as a strong, confident women.”
“Jackie always provides the guidance and leadership necessary for us to develop to our fullest potentials,” said senior Megan Mclaughlin, a four-year member of both the field hockey and women’s lacrosse team.
Before her coaching days, Neary was a standout defender for the Temple University field hockey and women’s lacrosse teams.
Neary was a part of the Temple women’s lacrosse teams in the 1980s, which is now remembered as the “Decade of Dominance.”
Under the direction of Tina Sloan-Green, whom Neary names as one of her coaching inspirations, the Owls were able to win two national championships in that ten year span.
Neary was a staple defender on the 1984 championship team, who upset the University of Maryland in the championship game 6-4.
“That’s not something a lot of people have the opportunity to say,” said Neary. “I was very blessed and fortunate to have fantastic coaches and teammates.”
Flash forward to 1998 and Neary’s winning pedigree as a player translated immediately to coaching.
In the 1998 season, Neary led the Cavaliers to an undefeated season, a perfect 15-0 record, as well as her first CSAC title.
That first championship led to eight straight titles. She has since earned eight more.
But more impressive is the consistency of excellence Neary has led the women’s lacrosse team to achieve.
The women’s lacrosse team has appeared in every single conference championship game since 1997.
Neary has also led the field hockey team to 11 appearances is the conference championship, bringing home the title four times.
20 years of winning. 501 wins to be exact.
Neary has plaques hanging in the walls of her office, marking each of her milestone wins. 100, 200, 300, 400 and awaiting the 500th.
“I’m really thrilled that I have been able to sustain success,” said Neary. “As you get older as a coach, you need to remain relevant.”
Neary’s quest to remain relevant has been more than evident in recent years. The women’s field hockey team has won back to back conference championships.
Women’s lacrosse has been even more dominant, winning the past six conference titles.
“The past couple years, I’ve surrounded myself with younger coaches,” said Neary. “I think they have been invaluable and that is the biggest thing to attest to field hockey’s recent success.”
Neary pointed to a great team culture and consistency on the field to her success over the years.
“Her best attribute as a coach is her affinity for her players,” Dzik said. “All great coaches build their team on trust and a mutual respect across the board.”
Neary’s coaching journey has been a constant learning process, always drawing from her coaches and mentors.
“Diversity is something that has been huge for my success. I love different players on my team,” Neary said.
“That’s something I learned from my time at Temple.”
“I don’t think people understand the difficulty of achieving that success for such a long time,” said Dzik.
Dzik understands the rigors of longevity as he manned the sideline for the men’s basketball program for 25 seasons, coaching them to 16 conference championships.
It’s been 22 years since Jackie Neary stepped on Cabrini’s campus.
It’s been 800 games, 501 of them wins.
More than 26,000 minutes of coaching.
Countless goals, from countless goal scorers.
But there is truly only one Jackie Neary.
“Right now, I love it just as much as I did as a student-athlete,” Neary said. “At this point, it’s not what I do, it’s who I am.”
