NGWSD Spotlight - Thomas College Sports Information Director MacKenzie Oberholzer
The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) is proud to recognize and promote the 39th annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), a nationwide celebration co-founded and powered by the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) and supported by its team of champion athletes. The event inspires girls and women to participate in sports, stay active, and realize their full potential. The confidence, strength, and character gained through sports are the very tools that empower girls and women to become strong leaders in both athletics and life. The WSF enters 2025 energized after commemorating its 50th anniversary throughout the past year.
As part of this year’s celebration, the NAC will recognize four women serving in prominent roles at their respective conference institutions with “Spotlight” features on the conference website. Our first subject is MacKenzie Oberholzer, the Director of Sports Information/Athletic Communications at Thomas College.
MacKenzie Oberholzer has served as the Terriers’ Assistant Field Hockey Coach since August 2021 and took on the additional role of Director of Sports Information/Athletic Communications at Thomas College in July 2022.
A former two-sport athlete at Thomas, Oberholzer excelled in both field hockey and softball. Following her senior year, she was honored with the Terrier Award, presented annually to the student-athlete who best exemplifies athletic achievement, sportsmanship, academic excellence, campus involvement, and Terrier pride. As a standout goalkeeper for the field hockey program, she earned multiple accolades, including First Team All-Conference honors and four NFHCA National Academic Squad awards. She was also selected as the 2021 NAC Softball Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Beyond her athletic contributions, Oberholzer was actively involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), served on the athletic event staff, and worked as a COVID-19 ambassador.
She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Coaching from Thomas College in 2021 and is currently pursuing her MBA.
How old were you when you started playing sports and what sports did you grow up playing?
I started playing sports around the age of 5. I played both softball and soccer when I was young, then once I started middle school I switched to softball and field hockey.
Where did you go to college and what sport did you play there?
I went to Thomas College and played both field hockey and softball.
When did you realize you wanted to have a career in sports?
My senior year was 2020-2021 and my field hockey season was cancelled due to Covid-19. I knew I wanted to continue my field hockey career but coaching instead of playing. I had reached out to our head coach to see if she would be interested in my joining her staff and she graciously said yes. My full-time job after graduating was not in athletics and the entire year, I felt a need to get back into sports full time like I had been doing my entire life. One year after graduating college I was back working in sports full time as Thomas’s Sports Information Director. All while still getting to coach field hockey.
Can you share some insights into your career journey and the path that led you to your current role?
I answered that mostly in the last question, but the job I have now opened up and I had worked for my SID as a work study student in college. Someone in the department thought I would be a great fit and suggested I apply.
What is your favorite sports memory or favorite game you witnessed?
Not necessarily a memory but I enjoy watching the College Softball World Series every year. I think it is incredible how much the game has grown and how many people travel to watch the tournament. Women’s Sports are exciting to watch and being able to see the infrastructure built and record-breaking numbers year after year is just inspirational.
Who is one of your favorite female athletes to watch?
It is cliché to say, but I love to watch and keep up with Caitlyn Clark. At 23 she has created so many different conversations and publicity for women’s sports. People like her get people’s attention and allow so many others to shine because of opportunities she helped create.
The History of NGWSD
National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) began in 1987 as a special day in our nation’s capital to recognize women’s sports. The day united premiere organizations and elite women athletes to bring national attention to the promise of girls and women in sports.
In the beginning, NGWSD served as a remembrance of Olympic volleyball player, Flo Hyman, for her athletic achievements and dedication to promoting equality for women’s sports; Hyman died of Marfan’s Syndrome in 1986. NGWSD has since evolved into an event to acknowledge the accomplishments of girls and women in sports, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality for women in sports.
Annually, schools and community-serving organizations host over 300 grassroots events across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. with an estimated reach of 200,000 girls and women.