Hutchison Lacrosse Coach David Gearhardt to be Inducted into Tennessee Lacrosse Hall of Fame
Hutchison Lacrosse Head Coach David Gearhardt has been selected as an inductee into the Tennessee Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The longtime Sting coach is in the inaugural class of four, one of a very select group of historically significant contributors to lacrosse in the state of Tennessee.
“I am honored to have received this award, and especially honored to be inducted with the others in the very first group,” Gearhardt said. “I have been blessed to have been involved with both MUS and Hutchison lacrosse over the past 33 years. I am also excited for the other inductees, each of whom has done so much for the sport over the years.”
Gearhardt started at Hutchison as an assistant coach, and during that five-year run as an assistant, the Sting won five state championships and over 100 games. That remarkable stretch included an undefeated 81-0 record when facing teams from the state of Tennessee.
His dominance continued after he was promoted to the head coaching position in 2016. As the head coach, he has amassed a formidable record. Overall, under Gearhardt, the Sting are 94-11 with a record of 75-5 against teams from the state of Tennessee. Hutchison has won three state championships under Gearhardt’s leadership and developed multiple state and national award-winning players. Gearhardt’s record as a head coach and assistant coach at Hutchison is a staggering 198-18.
“We are proud to share the selection of Coach David Gearhardt for induction to the Tennessee Lacrosse Hall of Fame,” Hutchison Athletics Director Caroline Schaefer said. “As a part of eight state championship teams, he has led our program to unprecedented success while growing the girls' game in the state of Tennessee. We are grateful for how he has helped so many Hutchison student-athletes over the years. Congratulations to Coach Gearhardt and his family for this special and well-deserved achievement.”
Prior to his time at Hutchison, Gearhardt founded the lacrosse program and coached at Memphis University School for six seasons, leading the Owls to a 65-15 record and a state championship. He made such a strong impression on the Owls that the school named their lacrosse practice field in Gearhardt’s honor. Additionally, he founded the boys lacrosse program at Germantown High School in 1989 and the program at Southwestern University, now known as Rhodes College, in 1983. He also founded three lacrosse club teams and a store, Stickhead Lacrosse, which he co-owns; it was the first dedicated lacrosse store in the state of Tennessee.
Gearhardt will be officially inducted at a ceremony in Nashville on February 11, 2023.
Elizabeth Austin ’20, a junior at Middlebury College in Vermont, has been selected for a Udall Foundation Scholarship. She will receive a $7,000 grant to focus on her research in the emerging field of conservation paleontology.
Rising juniors and seniors who are part of four myExperience cohorts in Hutchison's Institute for Responsible Citizenship – global civic engagement, entrepreneurship, STEM, and art and design – explored their respective fields of study on trips to New York and Boston.
The 15-year student and recent recipient of the Ideal Hutchison Girl Award credits Hutchison for providing opportunities for her to delve deeper into her interests and helping her become a strong student and creative innovator.
The National Merit Finalist and 15-year student has distinguished herself by pursuing challenging academic opportunities in math and science and following her various interests along the way. She credits Hutchison for fostering her intellectual curiosity and love of learning.
Fifteen-year student and National Merit Commended Student Brooke Fair ’23 is an award-winning singer-songwriter who has released an album, an EP, and several singles all before graduating high school. This talented artist also is a dedicated student whose music accomplishments have come while achieving academic success.
Fifteen-year student Emmy Walton ’23 has put her heart into becoming a rocket scientist one day. After developing her interests in science and math through various STEM opportunities at Hutchison, she will follow her dreams at one of the nation’s top schools for engineering, Purdue University.
The National Merit Finalist was challenged by Hutchison’s various academic and extracurricular activities. From the tennis court to the courtroom to the classroom, Sarah is a well-rounded, hardworking Hutchison student who lives up to the school’s mission of inspiring girls to go anywhere they can imagine.
Eve-Elyse Hall ’23 has been known for setting up her teammates on the volleyball court throughout an excellent high school career. Now she’s setting herself up for a bright future after choosing to sign to play volleyball at Asbury University in Kentucky.
Hutchison world language students participated in the 2023 U of M Language Fair, sponsored by The University of Memphis Department of World Languages and Literatures. Demonstrating their knowledge of Spanish and Chinese, Hutchison had a total of 21 students win awards at the fair.
Note to the State of Tennessee: If you want to get legislation passed, put Hutchison girls in charge! Seventeen juniors wrote and presented six bills at the YMCA Youth in Government conference in Nashville. All of the bills made it onto the Senate and House dockets, and one was signed into law.
JK girls aren’t scared of these bones! They were fearless and loved being scientists as they took a closer look at the animal bone collection of Lauren Pharr Parks ’02, alumna and mom to Patty Mae ’36.
Seven upper school students will participate in high-intensity summer programs in subjects including computational physics, international studies, and visual arts at universities across the state.