Nakeeya McCardell joined the women's lacrosse team as an assistant coach in September of 2024 as the program's defensive coordinator.
McCardell gained coaching experience with Grit Lacrosse and Tenacity, club programs in her hometown of Houston, Texas. She has also been a coach and administrator for AK Unlimited Lacrosse Camp in South Carolina.
"I am thrilled to welcome Nakeeya to the team!" said head coach Alexa Matta. "With her impressive background, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that perfectly aligns with our vision. Her dedication and work ethic are exactly what we were looking for, and I'm excited to collaborate with her as we strive to elevate our program to new heights!"
"I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to coach alongside coach Matta," said McCardell. "It is an opportunity to lead by example and make an impact both on and off the field. As a first-year coach, I'm thrilled to bring fresh energy and a passion for growth to this program."
She was a standout collegiate student-athlete at Oregon and Clemson from 2021-2024. She played in 66 career games - starting 62 - and tallied 23 points on 17 goals and six assists to go with 79 ground balls, 60 caused turnovers and 46 draw controls.
McCardell started her career with the Ducks as a two-way midfielder and finished fourth on the team with 13 goals, while collecting a career-high 24 ground balls, 17 takeaways and 17 draw controls as a freshman before pulling down a career-best 28 draws with three goals, 17 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers as a sophomore. She then transferred to the Tigers and was a defensive midfielder, registering 21 GB's and 15 CT's as a junior to earn IWLCA All-Region Second Team honors and posted 17 ground balls with 16 caused turnovers and two points as a senior.
McCardell graduated from Clemson with a degree in Health Science.
