DUDLEY, Mass. (10/21/2025) - Class of 2025 graduate Hadley Houghton has taken on the role of Assistant Lacrosse Coach for the 2025–2026 season at Nichols College. Hadley has made a name for herself at Nichols and continues to leave a lasting impact on the athletic community, all while pursuing her MBA. With aspirations of building a strong career in marketing, she now finds herself drawn toward sports marketing—a natural path for someone passionate about athletics and eager to stay connected to the sports world.
Hadley is from Madison, Connecticut, and attended Daniel Hand High School, where she was a three-sport varsity athlete, competing in lacrosse, basketball, and volleyball. After graduating, she committed to Nichols College to play lacrosse and major in marketing. Throughout her college career, Hadley achieved numerous accomplishments. She was a four-year starter, playing in all 68 games of her collegiate career. Her stats speak for themselves:
- 260 goals
- 76 assists
- 336 total points
She also holds multiple program records, including a remarkable 391 career draw controls. Hadley also was named to Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) / Conference of New England (CNE) First Team in 2024 & 2025, and Second Team in 2022 & 2023. She also received the Nichols Hallie Linacre Memorial Award for Outstanding Female Junior Athlete in 2024, and Nichols Outstanding Female Senior Athlete Award in 2025.
Now, as she transitions into a coaching role under Coach Will Mraz, Hadley is ready to continue impacting the lacrosse program in a new way. She says her vision as a coach is to make sure the players feel seen and supported. Reflecting on her new role, she says:
"It's good to have an inside perspective, and it's easier to connect with the girls on a personal level."
Hadley explains that the reason she took on the graduate assistant position is because of the impact the lacrosse program had on her. She wanted to give back to the team that helped shape her. As a four-year student-athlete, Hadley learned valuable lessons that helped her grow both on and off the field. She says that being in that role taught her how to hold herself to a higher standard and to never settle for "just okay."
"There's always a way to better yourself—whether it's on the field, in the classroom, or just improving yourself as a person."
She also shares the challenges that come with being an athlete:
"There are a lot of failures—missed game-winning shots or getting beat to the ball. It's hard to deal with. But I've learned not to focus on the failure, but on the lesson. That's what makes the difference."
Hadley emphasizes that passion is something you can't teach. Athletes who bring passion to the field allow themselves to shine and become difference-makers. She believes that setting a strong team culture is what separates a good team from a great team.
Interestingly, Hadley didn't originally plan to attend a small college. She wanted something bigger. But her perspective changed:
"I realized that bigger isn't always better. At a small school like Nichols, people notice you—and your impact is bigger than you think."
She explains how many people depended on her and counted on her, and how Nichols taught her what it means to be a leader and the importance of community.
"Looking back, I wasn't prepared for the responsibility Nichols would give me—but it ended up being a blessing. It pushed me to step up, face challenges, and make a real impact here."
