Paige Messersmith is in her seventh season as head women's lacrosse coach at Ohio Wesleyan University.
Last year, the Battling Bishops finished with an 11-5 record and tied for third place in the North Coast Athletic Conference. It was Ohio Wesleyan's fourth consecutive season reaching double digits in victories, accomplishing that feat for the first time since 2005-08.
The 2024 Battling Bishops went 13-4, setting a school record for victories in a season. Ohio Wesleyan finished second in the NCAC standings with a 5-1 record and hosted an NCAC tournament game for the first time since the 2008 season.
In 2023, the Bishops went 11-6, including a 4-2 record in the NCAC, good for a third-place finish in the final conference standings, and made their first NCAC tournament appearance since the 2010 season. The Battling Bishop staff was named NCAC Coaching Staff of the Year in recognition of those accomplishments.
The 2022 Bishops compiled a 12-5 mark, tying the school record for victories in a season.
Messersmith made her head coaching debut in 2020, with Ohio Wesleyan winning 2 of its first 6 games before the remainder of the season was canceled.
Messersmith came to Ohio Wesleyan from Dickinson (Pa.) College, where she was an assistant coach for 4 seasons, working with the offense, draw team, and goalkeepers as well as assisting in practice planning, individual player development, recruiting, scouting, and strength and conditioning programming. She helped the Red Devils to a 40-31 record and 3 tournament semifinal appearances in the Centennial Conference, one of the most competitive leagues in NCAA Division III.
Off the field, she has been active in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association, working with the organization's all-region selection and convention planning committees.
She began her collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Catholic (D.C.) University, where in 2 seasons, she helped the Cardinals compile a 28-10 record, win a pair of Landmark Conference tournament championships, and make 2 NCAA Division III tournament appearances, including a run to the national quarterfinals.
Messersmith is a 2013 graduate of McDaniel (Md.) College, where she capped a stellar playing career by receiving Centennial Conference Woman of the Year honors. She was an All-America selection in lacrosse, won 5 all-region citations in lacrosse and field hockey, garnered all-conference laurels 7 times in lacrosse and field hockey, and was a 2-year team captain in both sports. She graduated with a degree in exercise science and continued her education with a master's degree in psychology from Catholic.
She is a native of Phoenix, Md.
Messersmith's Career Coaching Record
| Year |
School |
Record |
Pct |
| 2020 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
2-4 |
.333 |
| 2021 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
2-7 |
.222 |
| 2022 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
12-5 |
.706 |
| 2023 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
11-6 |
.647 |
| 2024 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
13-4 |
.765 |
| 2025 |
Ohio Wesleyan |
11-6 |
.647 |
| Career |
6 years |
51-32 |
.614 |
