High Point University Club Sports

On Tuesday, July 7th, High Point University Intercollegiate Club Sports (ICS) program Director of Athletics Dr. Stephen Denny announced that Chantal Lacroix Ayers will serve as Panthers’ head coach for both the field hockey and women’s ice hockey programs. 

Ayers was a four-year member of the field hockey and lacrosse team at Holy Cross, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1994. In 1993, Ayers’ performance earned her the Most Valuable Player team award from field hockey and lacrosse. That same season she was named Patriot League Player of the Year in field hockey. 

After graduation from Holy Cross, Ayers earned a spot on the training team for the U.S. Field Hockey National Team, which spanned from 1994-98. She took that experience, along with her on-field experience at Holy Cross and became a graduate assistant under Hall of Fame coach Robin Sheppard for both the field hockey and lacrosse programs from 1994-97 at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. 

Chantal Lacroix Ayers is the daughter of NHL standout Andre Lacroix, who played in the NHL, World Hockey Association (WHA) and American Hockey League (AHL) over a 16-year span. Lacroix netted 251 goals in his WHA career and added 79 as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks and Hartford Whalers in the NHL. 

In line with her father's legacy, Ayers has been a lifelong student of ice hockey. She brings a level of expertise in ice hockey similar to that of field hockey and lacrosse. She kicked off her ice hockey coaching career by founding the Trinity College women’s ice hockey club team. Ayers took her family’s love and dedication to hockey and helped the Bantams gain varsity status in 1997. To recognize her efforts, Trinity College endowed the Chantal Lacroix Award, which is given annually in recognition of dedication and loyalty to the program. 

Ayers never lost the passion for competition and in 1997 earned a professional contract from a team in the Netherlands, where she played for one season. After returning to the United States, Ayers worked for the Philadelphia Flyers for five years.

Ayers served as the head coach for girls’ lacrosse and field hockey at Shaker Heights High School (Shaker Heights, Ohio). In field hockey, she transformed a losing season to three consecutive Ohio State semifinal appearances at Shaker Heights, placing 28 of 31 seniors into collegiate-level programs. 

After moving to Raleigh, N.C., Ayers assumed the head coach duties for the field hockey team at Cardinal Gibbons  and founded the boys' and girls' lacrosse program at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School (Apex, N.C.). At Cardinal Gibbons, she grew the team from 22 to 53 players in her first season at the helm and reached the North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Quarterfinals, after replacing 14 seniors, in her second season. In the classroom, Ayers 2018 junior and senior class qualified for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic All-American honors.

Along with her position at Cardinal Gibbons, Ayers has coached alongside five-time National Champion Grant Fulton with the Carolina All Stars Field Hockey Team. Ayers has coached the Carolina U19 and U16 travel teams. She has collaborated with Fulton, who serves as Associate Head Coach at North Carolina, in coaching the U10, U12, U16 and U19 Developmental Teams.