MHS Hires New Coaches
– Allison Goldsberry
Three new faces will take charge of the girls soccer and volleyball teams and the boys lacrosse team next year.
Alice Beth Tierney, a career counselor at the Medford Vocational Technical High School, will serve as the new head coach of the girls’ volleyball team.
Tierney, a former Arlington High School and Simmons College volleyball player, has extensive coaching experience at both the high school and college levels and currently plays in two local volleyball clubs, the Boston Ski and Sports Club and Jackson Mann Fossils Volleyball. The Simmons College and Northeastern University graduate has coached the SMASH Girls Juniors Volleyball Club in Newton for the past two years, and has also coached at Ursuline Academy, Simmons, and at the Bay State Games.
“Alice Beth Tierney is going to be terrific for the Girls Volleyball program and continue the fine tradition that Coach Jen Wilson established. Alice Beth has a lot of experience coaching girls volleyball and fortunately for MHS she is a counselor in the Medford Voke Tech HS,” said Maloney.
“I offer a positive outlook, a team focus, and a strong work ethic,” Tierney wrote on her resume.
Rachel Perry, a physical education teacher at Medford High School, will take over the girls’ soccer team. Perry was the junior varsity coach last season and from 1993-1995. Perry is a 1989 Medford High School graduate and a former Mustang soccer player and captain.
Perry taught physical education in Newton and Lexington and served as the Assistant Athletic Director in Newton before coming to Medford last fall. She has a Master’s in Fitness and Sports Management from Endicott College and has numerous certifications, including in aerobics, yoga, cardio kickboxing, weight training, and nutrition. She has served as a coach and fitness trainer and is leading a conditioning camp for high school students this summer.
“Rachel Perry is a fantastic addition to the Medford Athletic Department who has a tremendous amount of soccer experience and works extremely hard both in the classroom and on the field for the students at Medford High School. Rachel also has a sense of history with Medford High School as she is a graduate of MHS and her dad (Mr. Rainho) is one of the founders of youth soccer for females in the City of Medford.” Said Maloney.
“I am excited and honored to be the new girls soccer coach. I am looking forward to working with the high school and youth players in Medford. For this year we need to focus on building a strong foundation and putting a system in place. The girls have already been working hard by lifting weights, completing running workouts, and participating in a variety of soccer camps. I am looking for this years team to be very competitive in the Greater Boston League,” said Coach Perry.
Michael Engel, a guidance counselor at Everett High School, will lead the boys lacrosse team. Engel graduated from Trinity College and earned his Master’s in school counseling from UMass-Boston. The former football and lacrosse standout for Newton North and Phillips Academy has coached both sports, including serving as the head varsity lacrosse coach for Marian High School and for the U-17 Program Team Central LAX, and as the Quarterback Coach for a team in Harlem, New York.
As a Newton North student Engel was an All-American lacrosse player and was the Boston Globe Player of the Year. He also captained Newton North’s state championship lacrosse team and spent a post-graduate year as the quarterback for Phillips Academy’s only second undefeated season in its 227-year history.
“Coach Mike Engel has an incredible lacrosse background with tremendous experience in the field and I am extremely confident Mike will take the Medford High School Boys Lacrosse program to the next level, which our student athletes deserve. Mike brings great enthusiasm and is looking forward to working with the youth programs of Medford which is so important for any program– a solid foundation,” said Maloney.