When the girls soccer head coaching job at Lamar opened up, Gretchen Macdonald was the first phone call the school made. 

It ended up being the only call as Macdonald was hired to take over the Lady Raiders, Lamar announced Wednesday.

“It’s a great honor,” Macdonald said. “It’s a wonderful program, and it historically has had tremendous success and tremendous athletes go through there, so I’m just honored to be part of it now, and leading it.”

Lamar athletic director Shane Adams said Macdonald first surfaced three years ago but the timing wasn’t right for her hiring. When former coach Nina Galindo announced her departure in April for an assistant position at Division II college in her hometown, Adams knew to whom to reach out. 

“She’s done basically all there is to do in the sport of soccer. She’s just a special person,” Adams said. “She’s going to follow along the lines that all the other Lamar coaches follow. She understands it’s bigger than soccer, and that’s why she’s good at soccer.” 

A former high school All-American and member of several youth national teams, Macdonald went on to start in more than 60 games at Duke. She has nine years of coaching experience, most recently serving as technical director at Clay County Soccer Club in Jacksonville, Florida. She has also coached ages 4-17 at the club level, as well as in the State Olympic Development Program. 

She said she brings a vast knowledge of personal experience to the girls soccer program at Lamar. 

“For these kids, I can tell them and show them how I’ve played and actually be an example for them because I’ve played at the highest level, and I’ve been in all of these situations that they’re going to find themselves in,” she said. “I can walk with them through it, and I’ve found that whenever I’m coaching, that’s really a way for me to connect with the kids.”

She added that she was first drawn to Lamar for the community and family feel involving students of all ages, and the faculty and staff. With the Lady Raiders reaching the MAIS Division II state title game last fall, she hopes she can continue that success.  

“I’m just excited to be part of something that has been really good and is on its way back to being really good,” she said. “And hopefully I can get them there.”

Adams said Macdonald’s strengths as a coach is her emphasis on camaraderie and the ability of the team as a whole. He also thinks she’ll prepare student-athletes for life beyond soccer.

“There are very few things she’s not seen,” he said. “She understands, from playing collegiately and from coaching where she was, the importance of the team and the team concept, everyone working together. She’s got the technical expertise, she understands the skill development part of it — I mean, everything you’re looking for.”