Beth Stone Announced as 2021 National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Inductee

Beth Stone, who has dedicated 40 years to Nichols School as a coach and physical education teacher, is one of eight inductees in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. Stone is a longtime supporter of the game of lacrosse at the local, state, national and international levels, and this honor recognizes her as an Outstanding Contributor for her decades of service.

 

For over 30 years, Stone has served in leadership roles across the country to support women’s lacrosse. She is a past president of the USWLA High School Coaches Council and a longtime member of the USA Lacrosse High School All-America Committee. She is also a past president of the Midwest Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association (MSLA) and a former chair for girls’ lacrosse in New York’s Empire State Games. Stone has also been a member of the executive board for USA Lacrosse’s Western New York Chapter for over 20 years, and has developed coaches and players clinics in the region for many years.

 

On the international level, Stone served as the women’s competition chair for the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championships in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. She has been previously inducted into three halls of fame, and in recognition of her significant contributions, USA Lacrosse created the Beth Stone Award in 2007 to recognize the top high school senior at the annual National Tournament for girls.

 

Between coaching and teaching, Stone is currently in her 40th year in the Nichols community. She retired from full-time teaching in the spring of 2020 after 39 school years, and continues as Nichols’ head coach for varsity field hockey and varsity girls lacrosse. Throughout her career at Nichols, Stone has taught, coached and mentored over 5,000 student-athletes. She taught fifth and sixth grade physical education and coached seventh and eighth grade field hockey, basketball and lacrosse throughout her tenure.

 

Stone has guided the Vikings varsity girls varsity lacrosse program to 3 MSLA titles in 2011, 2014, 2016 and two additional MSLA finals appearances in 2010 & 2017. While coaching field hockey, Stone led the team to a pair of New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) championships in 2005 and 2010.

 

After her retirement from full-time teaching, Nichols Middle School dedicated the Elizabeth R. Stone Award in her honor. This award is given each year to eighth grade girls at Nichols who not only display athletic excellence and a fine sense of sportsmanship, but also, through strength of character and leadership, contribute to the general welfare of their classmates.

 

Stone and the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class of 2021 will be officially inducted in a ceremony at a date to be determined.

 

Congratulations on this incredible honor Coach Stone, and thank you for all you've done for the Nichols community and the game of lacrosse!

Photo of Coach Stone taken prior to 2020 and the onset of COVID-19.