New London — Coast Guard Academy named former Washington & Lee University assistant coach Mary Heneberry as head coach of the women’s lacrosse team Thursday.

Heneberry has served as the first assistant and a professor of physical education at Washington & Lee since 2012, helping the Generals win three Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championships and reach Division III NCAA tournament regional finals in 2014 and 2015.

She was a member of the ODAC coaching staff of the year in 2013 and served as fall season interim head coach in 2012 and 2015. The Generals are currently ranked 15th in the nation according to the IWLCA coaches poll.

“I’m very pleased and proud that Mary Heneberry has accepted our offer to become the women’s lacrosse coach at CGA,” Coast Guard athletic director Tim Fitzpatrick said in a press release. "Mary’s background as a player and a coach is extremely strong and balanced.

"Having grown up in Baltimore, she hails from one of the country’s most fertile recruiting areas and is well-known there. As impressed as I am with Mary’s credentials and attributes, what convinced me that she is the right coach for CGA was the extreme strength of her desire to be our next women’s lacrosse coach. I am convinced that the future of our program is in great hands.”

Heneberry takes over for Ruth Ness, who served as the first women’s varsity head coach for the past two seasons at the academy, helping transition the Bears from club status to the NCAA ranks.

Heneberry played college lacrosse at Division I Loyola University Maryland, earning Big East second team all-conference honors and was an all-tournament team selection in her senior season (2011). The Greyhounds were also Big East tournament champions and made it to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2011.