Sandy Vander-Heyden

Sandy Vander-Heyden was a New Hampshire native who played college hockey and lacrosse at the University of New Hampshire. She led the UNH lacrosse team to the 1985 NCAA title. Vander-Heyden played for the US hockey team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and won a silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games.

After her playing career ended Vander-Heyden, later Sandy Bridgeman, became a coach, starting at Longwood College in Virginia from 1990-94. She then coached Babson College in Massachusetts from 1994-96 before becoming head coach at her alma mater. She coached at UNH from 1996-2009 before relocating to Florida with her family when her husband’s job enforced a move. As head coach at UNH Bridgeman was a three-time American East Coach of the Year. In Florida, she helped coach the Ponte Vedra Predators Girls Lacrosse Club and was owner and director of the Ponte Vedra Lightning Lacrosse Club and Academy. In 2016 she returned to the Granite State to become head coach at Plymouth State University.