Coaching Staff

Tommy Kelly | Head Coach

Tommy Kelly enters his second season at the helm of the Newberry women's lacrosse program after joining the team for the 2022 season.

In his first season with the Wolves, Kelly led the team to the best record in program history (11-8), and he coached three all-conference performers and a South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year. The program witnessed several firsts in Kelly's first season at the helm, including 26 program records, the team's first ever victories over Limestone and Lenoir-Rhyne, and the program's first ever postseason win in the SAC Tournament.

Prior to Newberry College, Kelly inherited a winless program at Davis & Elkins College (W.Va.), and he led the Senators to their first winning season in school history in 2019 and a playoff appearance in 2021. While at Davis & Elkins, Kelly coached 11 All-Conference players as well as a Mountain East Conference Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

He also served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Slippery Rock University (Pa.), where he developed a defense that allowed 6.8 goals per game while also making the playoffs for the first time in school history in 2017.

Melissa Semkiw | Assistant Coach

In her first season with the Wolves, Semkiw helped the Wolves to their best record in program history (11-8) and the program's first postseason victory with a primary focus on the goalkeepers. She coached two different Newberry goalies to be named the South Atlantic Defensive Player of the Week in the 2022 season.

As a player, Semkiw excelled on the field at George Mason where she was named to the Atlantic10 All-Rookie team and Second Team All-A10 in 2017, First Team All-A10 in 2019, and Preseason All-A10 in 2020. After graduating from George Mason, she then went on to Saint Joseph's University to earn a master's degree in business administration. While at SJU, she went on to earn Second Team All-A10 as well as 2021 All-Championship Team honors in the spring of 2021 while also serving as a student assistant coach. 

Beyond her experience as a player, she also has extensive experience working both in and around the sport of lacrosse as both an official at Western Maryland Lacrosse in Frederick, Md. and a coach at Victory Lacrosse in Irmo, S.C. She has also served as a private goalie instructor for the past five years.