Hall of Fame Inductees
Gale began coaching at Wesleyan in 1978, just six years after the passage of Title IX, handling both field hockey and women’s lacrosse head coaching duties. She led the field hockey squad to its only undefeated campaign – and subsequent berth into the Wesleyan Hall of Fame – in 1980. Lackey also coached women’s squash for the 1981-82 season.
Lackey took over as volleyball coach in 1985 and served as head coach for 30 seasons. Gale has the distinction of coaching three different Wesleyan women’s programs to Little Three titles.
With 477 career victories in volleyball, Lackey is the all-time winningest women’s coach in school history. Including her wins as head coach of field hockey (34) and women’s lacrosse (87), Gale won 598 total games in her Wesleyan career.
Named the NESCAC Coach of the Year in 2001, Lackey led the Cardinal volleyball program to its winningest campaign in program history at 30-6 overall, going 9-1 in NESCAC regular season play and earning a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The year prior, Lackey’s 2000 squad record 27 victories and won the ECAC Division III New England Championship.
Inducted into the Connecticut Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2010, Lackey also served as the senior woman administrator (SWA) in athletics and held an associate athletic director title for more than two decades.
