Ann Coakley was a professor/coach in the Physical Education Department at Bridgewater State College for 30 years. (1959-89). She began the sport of women's lacrosse at BSC and coached the team from 1960-78. She also organized the New England Colleges Lacrosse Championships that were held at Bridgewater in 1978. Outside of Bridgewater she was a member of both the Boston Field hockey and Lacrosse Associations both as a player and committee member. She has been the coach and manager of numerous international lacrosse tours and camps.

Her talent with a lacrosse stick is legendary at her alma mater, Boston University, who inducted her into the Terrier Hall of Fame in 1984. In recent years Ann has been inducted to several Halls of Fame. In 1993 she was inducted into the New Agenda Northeast Women's Hall of Fame, 1998, the New England Lacrosse Hall of Fame, 2000, both the United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame and New England Women's Sports Hall of Fame.

Ann passed away in March of 2017