With 11 years working at boarding schools and a lifetime of playing sports, Grace Megaffin is perfectly suited for her new role as the Associate Director of Athletics at Saint James. 

Grace was the Associate Dean of Admissions and head girls' varsity lacrosse coach at the Lawrenceville School for five years, and she served in admissions roles at Peddie and Pennington for three years each before that.  

Grace has a passion for athletics, and said her parents let her try almost any sport growing up—soccer, field hockey, basketball, swimming—just not softball. 

“The only sport that was not allowed was softball because my mom broke her nose playing as a kid! That pushed me towards lacrosse, which I played in high school and college,” she said. 

Grace has a BA in Film Studies from Connecticut College and an M.Ed. in Independent School Leadership from Vanderbilt University. During this past year, she earned an MS in Sports Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, which was completed online due to the pandemic. 

“I’m definitely most looking forward to getting back to a boarding school campus,” she said. “I’ve missed coaching and living in a dorm!”

At Saint James, Grace will live in Holloway and coach field hockey and girls' varsity lacrosse.  Grace said she always felt athletics were an important part of her own education. She has enjoyed coaching while working at independent schools and realized she wanted to pursue athletic administration.  Grace is enthusiastic about working alongside Steve Lachut in his new role as athletic director.

“I’m so excited to be working alongside such an experienced and passionate member of the school community to continue enhancing the athletic experience for its students,” Grace said.

Most of her free time is spent with her two Australian Shepherds, but when she’s not with them she’s probably on her Peloton, trying a new restaurant, or going to a sporting event, concert, or movie.