LEXINGTON, Va. - Washington and Lee Michael F. Walsh Director of Athletics Jan Hathorn announced the appointment of Avery Blackmon as the Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach and Assistant Professor of Physical Education.

Blackmon immediately joins Head Coach Maddie Coleman as the full time assistant as the 2023 season gets underway this week. 

Blackmon arrives in Lexington with a wide variety of lacrosse coaching experiences since graduating from Georgetown College (Ky.) in 2019. The 2019 NAIA Player of the Year spent the 2022 season at Division I Central Michigan as the first assistant. At CMU, Blackmon led all the skill, practice and game plan implementation for the draw unit and assisted with the offensive strategies and development. While Central Michigan was searching for a new head coach, Blackmon served as the interim head coach and assisted with the transition. 

"Our program is really fortunate to bring on Coach Blackmon to the staff," state Coleman. "She has collected a lot of experience at different levels in such a short amount of time. Avery's experience in the midfield, the draw and offensive schemes will be a positive addition to our program and we are excited to get started." 

As a player, the Georgia native was a force in the midfield as she racked up 584 draw controls with 302 goals and 125 assists for 427 points. Blackmon's individual statistics helped garner four NAIA First Team All-America awards and was named All-Conference each year in addition to being named NWLL Conference Player and Rookie of the Year. The three-time captain helped the Tigers make an appearance in the NAIA National Tournament on three occasions and were runner-ups in 2016. 

The midfielder studied psychology and studio art at Georgetown and earned a masters in health and human performance in 2022. She was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and an Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete Award recipient in 2019, she was a member of the Dean's List for three years.

After graduation, Blackmon spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Division III Hartwick College as an assistant coach. While in Oneonta, she assisted with practice plans, game strategy, camps, clinics and recruiting. While there, the Hawks improved in clearing rates, converting free positions and draw controls. 

Within the athletic department at Hartwick she helped performed game management duties for fall and winter varsity sports.

From 2017-19, Blackmon worked as a head coach for both high school and middle school teams at Fast and Furious Travel Lacrosse in Ball Ground, Ga.

"I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with the W&L women's lacrosse team," Blackmon said. "The program has such a strong history of athletic and academic success. I am looking forward to helping these student-athletes develop their skills to reach their personal and team goals next to Coach Coleman." 

At Washington and Lee, Blackmon will assist in all aspects of the women's lacrosse program and work closely with the midfielders in and on the draw circle.