Nantucket High School Announces New Varsity Softball and Girls Lacrosse Coaches

Kelly Mayette and Kelly Brown bring collegiate playing experience and coaching expertise to the island's spring sports programs.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Nantucket High School has hired Kelly Mayette as the new varsity softball head coach and Kelly Brown as the new varsity girls lacrosse head coach. Both coaches have impressive playing careers at the Division I and Division II collegiate levels and bring coaching experience to their new roles on the island.

Why it matters

The new hires come as Nantucket shifts focus to the spring sports season and aim to build on the success of the island's high school athletic programs. Mayette and Brown's backgrounds as accomplished players and coaches are expected to provide strong leadership and mentorship for the student-athletes.

The details

Kelly Mayette, a police officer on Nantucket, previously served as an assistant coach for the softball program. She had an excellent playing career, competing as a pitcher and first baseman at both the Division I and Division II levels for Stonehill College, where she finished with over 100 career strikeouts, was a two-year captain, earned Academic All-District honors, and was twice named an All-American Scholar-Athlete. Kelly Brown takes over the girls lacrosse program after former head coach Jami Lower retired. Brown is a former Division I lacrosse player who graduated in 2024 from UMass Amherst with a degree in Public Health. She has five years of coaching experience with the Ultimate Lacrosse club program in the greater Philadelphia area and most recently served as an assistant varsity coach at West Chester Rustin High School in Pennsylvania.

  • Mayette and Brown were hired on Friday, March 1, 2026.
  • Jami Lower retired from the girls lacrosse head coaching role in June 2025.

The players

Kelly Mayette

A police officer on Nantucket who has been hired as the new varsity softball head coach. She had an excellent playing career as a pitcher and first baseman at the Division I and Division II collegiate levels for Stonehill College.

Kelly Brown

The new varsity girls lacrosse head coach. She is a former Division I lacrosse player who graduated in 2024 from UMass Amherst with a degree in Public Health. She has five years of coaching experience with the Ultimate Lacrosse club program in the greater Philadelphia area and most recently served as an assistant varsity coach at West Chester Rustin High School in Pennsylvania.

Jami Lower

The former head coach of the Nantucket High School girls lacrosse program, who retired from the role in June 2025.

Travis Lombardi

The athletic director at Nantucket High School who announced the new coaching hires in a press release.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Brown brings high-level playing experience and a deep commitment to mentorship.”

— Travis Lombardi, Athletic Director, Nantucket High School (Nantucket Current)

What’s next

The new coaches will begin their roles immediately as Nantucket High School shifts focus to the spring sports season.

The takeaway

The hiring of Mayette and Brown represents Nantucket High School's commitment to building strong athletic programs and providing student-athletes with experienced coaches who can serve as mentors and leaders. Their collegiate playing backgrounds and coaching expertise are expected to elevate the softball and girls lacrosse teams.