INDIANAPOLIS – UIndy interim Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Mary Beth Bagg announced on Tuesday the hiring of Elaine Jones as the university's new women's lacrosse head coach. Jones, who previously served in the same position at Longwood University, will begin her duties effective immediately.

"We are excited to welcome Elaine to the Greyhound family," said Bagg. "Elaine has a strong history of coaching the sport of lacrosse. Her dedication to the sport and her creative approaches to developing student-athletes are among the attributes that shone through in her interview and in talking with those familiar with her achievements."
 
Jones led the Longwood lacrosse program for 10 seasons, earning Big South Coach of the Year in 2019. During her tenure in Farmville, Va., Jones established an offense that led NCAA Division I in assists per game during the 2018 season, while mentoring two Big South Scholar-Athletes of the Year (2015, 2021), one Big South Co-Defensive Player of the Year (2016), 23 Big South All-Conference players, 22 Big South Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, and 11 Big South Freshman of the Week honorees.
 
In addition, Longwood earned the IWLCA Team Academic Honor Squad nearly every season, while also placing multiple student-athletes on the IWLCA Honor Roll during her 10 seasons.

"I'm thrilled and honored to be chosen as the next head coach for the women's lacrosse program at UIndy," said Jones. "I'd like to thank Mary Beth Bagg, Erin Abbott-Gillin, and the members of the search committee for this amazing opportunity." 
 
Prior to Longwood, Jones became the winningest head coach at the University of California, Davis, racking up 97 victories in 11 seasons. After leading the Aggies to multiple top-four rankings at the NCAA Division II level and earning Warrior/Inside Lacrosse Coach of the Year distinction, Jones successfully transitioned the women's lacrosse program to DI. UC Davis was named LaxPower's most improved DI program in the United States following the 2010 campaign.
 
Jones also helped the development of the student-athletes, including multiple awards recognition: DII Woman of the Year honoree, two UC Davis Hall of Fame inductees, DII Rookie of the Year, two-time DII Academic All-America, eight DII All-Americans, 15 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) all-league players, and 38 MPSF Academic student-athletes.
 
Furthermore, Jones gained compliance experience while at the University of Southern California from 1998-2001, where she helped coordinate and implement all monitoring systems of the athletics compliance office. During her time at USC, she also coached seven Western Women's Lacrosse League All-Star selections as the head club lacrosse coach.

The UIndy women's lacrosse team won its first national title this past May, downing East Stroudsburg by a score of 11-9.  

"I'm excited to work with such a committed and motivated group of talented student-athletes who are eager to defend their National Championship," continued Jones. "I look forward to developing them in all facets both on and off the field to helping them achieve their goals as they navigate through their student-athlete journey."
 
While obtaining her Master of Science in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst from 1993-95, Jones was an assistant coach for the women's lacrosse program, where she monitored budget management and aided the head coach in fundraising.
 
Between stints at Amherst and USC, Jones earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami.
 
A two-time All-American in her playing days, Jones earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Virginia in 1992. She was also a member of the USA Elite Team in 1992 and 1993. Jones was inducted into the Greater Baltimore U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2015, as well as becoming the first female athlete welcomed as part of the inaugural class for Friends School of Baltimore's Athletics Hall of Fame.

Bagg concluded: "We wish her and the team all the best as they work together to continue the winning tradition of Greyhound athletics."