FHSU Athletics

Dr. Lisa Goddard McGuirk is in her first year as the Director of Athletics at Fort Hays State University in 2025-26. She came to FHSU from Gannon University, an NCAA Division II institution in Pennsylvania, where she had a very successful stint as Director of Athletics over an 11-year span from 2014-2025.
 
Goddard McGuirk was honored as a NACDA Athletic Director of the Year in 2023-24, one of four athletic directors honored nationally among more than 300 Division II schools. In 2022, the Erie Times-News honored her as the Erie Sportswoman of the Year.
 
Gannon's athletic programs soared to new heights under Goddard McGuirk's leadership. The Golden Knights earned three of the last four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Dixon Trophy championships for all sports (2021-22, 2022-23, and 2024-25) prior to Goddard McGuirk taking her current position at Fort Hays State. It was the first time a school from the West Division if the PSAC won the trophy three times. The trophy is presented annually based on finishes in conference events and standings.
 
The Golden Knights enjoyed their highest finish nationally in the Learfield Directors' Cup in 2023-24, placing 19^th. They were among the top 30 once again in 2024-25. Points generated in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings are based on an institution's finish in NCAA Championships for each sport. Gannon was among the top 40 of the final standings in three of the final four years of Goddard McGuirk’s tenure.
 
Gannon's rise to prominence in the Dixon Trophy and Learfield Directors' Cup standings from 2021-2025 shows the strong surge in success for all of its athletic programs under Goddard McGuirk's leadership. However, that was not the only measure of success in her tenure leading the Golden Knights. Their student-athletes excelled in the classroom, having at least a 3.2 GPA collectively in all 11 years of her guidance. They also had a big impact in the Erie community through service and philanthropy.
 
Gannon won conference championships in volleyball, men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's golf, and claimed NCAA regional titles in women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's wrestling, and men's golf during her tenure. In non-NCAA activities, the Golden Knights' acrobatics & tumbling team placed second nationally at the NCATA Championships while claiming two event national titles. Two Gannon competitive dance teams placed third at NDA Nationals.
 
Goddard McGuirk is recognized as a national leader in collegiate athletics, serving on the NCAA Women's Wrestling National Committee and the Division II Athletic Directors Association (D2ADA) Board of Directors. She was instrumental in several renovation projects at Gannon, including enhancements to the Highmark Event Center, McConnell Family Stadium, and Carneval Athletic Pavilion.
 
Prior to her time at Gannon, Goddard McGuirk served as Director of Athletics, Wellness and Recreation and head softball coach at NCAA Division III affiliate Cedar Crest College (Pa.) for two years (2012-14). She also had a four-year stint as Director of Athletics and head softball coach at NCAA Division III affiliate Saint Elizabeth University (N.J.) for four years (2005-09). She had 11 years of experience overall as a head softball coach at the collegiate level, which also included two years at the University of Massachusetts-Boston (1997-99) and three years at Centenary College (La.) (1999-2002). She also had experience coaching basketball and volleyball at the collegiate level.
 
Goddard McGuirk earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from Brandeis University and a master's degree in management from Gannon University. Most recently, she completed her doctoral degree in organizational learning and leadership at Gannon University. She and her husband, Keith, have one daughter, Shea.