Coaching Staff
Field Hockey
Kristine Jackson
kristine.jackson@danahall.org
Varsity Field Hockey Coach
Assistant Coach
Jan Rushton
Coach Jackson was named Dana Hall’s Varsity Field Hockey head coach in 2022. She brings a wealth of field hockey experience to Dana Hall.
Jackson credits her high school varsity team as sparking her love for the game, which led her to play for several club teams, including the New England Futures program. She continued her pursuit of the sport as a collegiate athlete at Nichols College and Lasell University. Following her playing days, Jackson began her coaching career at Newton South and Austin Prep. She also served as a coach at the collegiate level, working as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Lasell University.
After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northeastern University, Jackson has served as a registered nurse in addition to her coaching positions.
Field Hockey
Volleyball
Mike Murphy
mike.murphy@danahall.org
Varsity Volleyball Coach
Assistant Coach
Dimitri Stewart
Coach Murphy brings nearly a quarter century of volleyball coaching experience to Dana Hall, and has been involved with the sport as a player and coach for more than 35 years. His passion for the game, understanding of the skills and dedication to constantly improving as a coach has helped him build and rebuild programs at the high school, community college and NCAA Division III college level. This has included teams for women and men as well as girls and boys. He has also developed top performing club teams that have competed on the regional and national level, and Murphy has worked at numerous local volleyball camps and clinics.
Previously, Murphy has served as the head coach for girls' teams at Weston High School (two trips to the state tournament) and Waltham High School (two trips to the state tournament and the Greater Boston league title). At the college level, Murphy created and launched Mass Bay Community College’s first ever women’s and men’s teams. He also turned the Pine Manor College Women’s Team (NCAA DIII) into a winning program and gave them their best record in nearly two decades.
Soccer
Rachel Wood
rachel.wood@danahall.org
Varsity Soccer Coach
Associate Head Coach
Carlton Wheeler-Omiunu
Coach Wood began coaching varsity soccer at Dana Hall in 2020.
Coach Wood strives to have a "positive impact on young athlete's lives" and "increase each player's knowledge of the game, athletic ability, leadership skills and, most importantly, confidence.”
Wood has a Bachelor's in Psychology and Social Behavior from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill where she played soccer. In high school she was a three sport athlete in soccer, volleyball, and track and field. She was a high school All American, #3 recruit in country, 2x NCAA Champion, 2x ACC champion, NCAA all regional team. Coach Wood has played with some of the best players in the women’s game at the University of North Carolina and the Boston Breakers.
Wood is a sought-after trainer for female and male soccer players at every level from youth through college athletes. A popular speaker who is thoughtful, relatable, and knowledgeable about sports psychology and the power of positivity, Rachel spoke at a Positive Coaching Alliance event at Harvard University in November 2016 and is now a PCA trainer.
Soccer
Cross Country
Brian Cook
brian.cook@danahall.org
Varsity Cross Country Coach
Assistant Coach
Amanda Feldman
Coach Cook has coached cross country at Dana Hall since 2013.
He enjoys coaching for the spirit and camaraderie of the athletes, the positive sporting attitude of all teams in the EIL, and for the opportunity to see young people challenge themselves to do things they didn't think they could do. Cook is also a member of the Social Studies Department.
Cook holds a Bachelor's in Economics from Holy Cross where he was pre-med, and earned his M.Ed. from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. During his time at Holy Cross, he was a member of the track team, where he competed in the high jump. He played both basketball and ran track at Chelmsford High School where he earned All-Conference Honors in track and field. Cook has completed two marathons, multiple half-marathons, and many 10k and 5k races.
Basketball
Jeff LaCure
jeffrey.lacure@danahall.org
Varsity Basketball Coach
Assistant Coach
Rita Atkinson
Dr. Jeff LaCure brings a wealth of basketball coaching experience to Dana Hall, having won 290 games over his coaching tenure. His coaching highlights include leading teams that won the Central MA Award for Sportsmanship while at Maynard High School and Uxbridge High School, leading Ursuline Academy to the Sectional Semi-Finals, and leading Notre Dame Academy to an appearance in the State Tournament.
LaCure exudes passion for the game, and is driven by the lessons that can be gained from participation on the court. “The game of basketball teaches so many valuable life-lessons, including: leadership, teamwork, skill mastery and selflessness,” he said. “I am excited to bring a passion for basketball and love for coaching to the Dana Hall School.”
Off the court, Coach LaCure is a published author, and practices as a Sport Psychologist. He has previously served on the faculty at Lasell College and Cambridge College.
Coach LaCure joined Dana Hall in 2022.
Diving
Jan Rushton
janet.rushton@danahall.org
Diving Coach
Coach Rushton joined Dana Hall in 2022 and also serves as a varsity field hockey coach in the fall.
She brings a wealth of swim and dive experience. Coach Rushton has coached swimming for more than 30 years and credits her summers spent diving off of floating rafts on Cape Cod for her love for diving. In addition to her swim coaching experience, Rushton has coached diving at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“Patience, stamina, biomechanics and confidence are the characteristics I strive to initiate in my divers. I have always lived by the motto ‘Just keep moving’ and I hope that rubs off on all of my athletes,” she said.
Fencing
Jane Carter
jane.carter@danahall.org
Varsity Fencing Coach
Assistant Coaches
Eliot Ayres
Anna Craven
Coach Carter has been coaching at Dana Hall since 2006.
Carter states, “I love giving back. I love teamwork and camaraderie. I love empowering young women.” Carter is a National Champion in Foil for her age group and has a long history of accolades from the Veterans National Foil Team. She is a member of three Halls of Fame: Peabody Veterans Memorial High School Athletic Hall of Fame, UPenn Fencing Hall of Fame, and UPenn Athletic Hall of Fame. Carter was a member of the US Fencing Executive Committee for 12 years, and has chaired multiple committees in US Fencing. She is currently Chair of the New England Division of US Fencing Association.
Carter earned a Bachelor's degree in International Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the fencing team. In high school, Carter was a three-sport athlete in basketball, track and field, and fencing. She holds her high school record for discus, was the Under 16 Women's Foil Junior Olympic Champion, a 1986 NCAA Champion at the University of Pennsylvania, and a 3-time All American.
Ice Hockey
Taya Latham
taya.latham@danahall.org
Varsity Ice Hockey Coach
Assistant Coaches
T.J. Spencer
Brian Tyndall
Coach Latham grew up playing hockey in Edina, Minnesota, and she has been coaching high school hockey since college. Latham majored in History at Williams College, where she was a four-year varsity hockey player. Latham spent three years with the Minneapolis Novas program before moving to the Blake School. While at Blake, she helped guide the Bears to back-to-back Minnesota State Championships in 2013 and 2014, as well as a runner-up finish in 2015. After taking a year away from coaching to earn her MA in Classical Archeology, Latham moved to Boston in 2016 to become the founding coach of the girls’ hockey program at Saint Joseph Prep. Latham also coaches lacrosse and is a published fiction author.
Ice Hockey
Squash
William Iselin
will.iselin@danahall.org
Varsity Squash Coach
Coach Iselin has coached the Dana Hall squash team since 2019.
He notes that he coaches because he has "a lifelong passion for the game of squash and enjoy[s] helping student-athletes improve across all aspects of the game.”
Iselin earned his Bachelor's degree in Medieval History from Harvard College where he also played squash. In high school, he played soccer, squash, and tennis. He is a 4-year varsity letter winner on undefeated national championship squash teams and was an Individual NCAA division champion in his senior year.
Swimming
John Dillon
john.dillon@danahall.org
Varsity Swimming Coach
Coach Dillon joined Dana Hall in 2022.
Coach Dillon brings a wealth of swim experience as an athlete and a coach. While swimming for Middlebury College, Dillon earned All-American honors in four different events and broke numerous school, league, and national records. He also won two individual national championships, in the 100 and 200 butterfly. Dillon has been coaching with Crimson Aquatics since 2011 and has worked extensively with both middle school and high school aged swimmers.
“I consider it a great honor to help young people realize their potential, and I look forward to seeing my swimmers achieve this both as individuals and as teammates,” Coach Dillon said.
Lacrosse
Janet Sullivan
janet.sullivan@danahall.org
Varsity Lacrosse Coach
Assistant Coach
Carly Kunkler
Coach Sullivan, better known as “Sully,” has coached varsity lacrosse since 1990 and has more than 10 years of experience coaching varsity soccer.
Sullivan states, “I love playing sports, watching sports and I want to instill my love and passion for playing to student athletes in hopes that they have a great experience while playing. The Dana Hall student athletes work hard, have fun, and have a strong desire to build camaraderie within their team, and I like to be a part of that environment.”
Sullivan has a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education with a minor in Recreation from Ithaca College. In high school, Sullivan was a state champion in field hockey and swimming. She was captain for field hockey and lacrosse, earning All-League honors for both. At Ithaca, she won a New York State Championship. For lacrosse, Sullivan has been inducted into the Eastern Massachusetts Hall of Fame and the New England Hall of Fame.
Sullivan also serves as the Associate Director of Athletics at Dana Hall. Sullivan is certified in US Lacrosse Level 1, 2, and 3.
Lacrosse
Softball
Phil Landers
phil.landers@danahall.org
Varsity Softball Coach
Assistant Coaches
Amanda Feldman
Jake McShane
Coach Landers became the head varsity softball coach in 2023.
Landers has been a Wellesley resident for over 20 years and has been coaching Wellesley youth softball since 2008. His coaching experience has spanned all levels, including head coach for the U14 and U18 travel teams. Landers was recognized in 2018 as a Double Goal coach by the Positive Coaching Alliance - New England, a national nonprofit that believes in the power of sports to transform lives.
He joined Dana Hall in 2020 as an assistant coach to the Varsity Softball program. In addition to the Varsity program, Landers was head coach of the Middle School softball team in 2021 and 2022, and is a coach in the Middle School Soccer program.
Landers is dedicated to using sports as a tool to teach life lessons and develop character. He is excited to share his passion for the game of softball with the Dana Hall Dragons.
Softball
Tennis
Maureen Sumner
maureen.sumner@danahall.org
Varsity Tennis Coach
Assistant Coach
Jennifer Gandel
Gina Wilcox
Coach Sumner has been coaching tennis at Dana Hall since 2018, and that year, she led Dana Hall to an EIL Championship.
She is passionate about tennis, teaching athletes how to improve their technique, and equipping them to reach their full potential.
Sumner played singles and doubles for four years at Holy Cross. She was inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2017. Sumner continues to play competitively, and she has represented New England at Nationals seven times.