Melissa Fernandez

Biography

Melissa Fernandez is a native of Raleigh, N.C. who began her coaching career at the NAIA level at Thomas More. During her tenure with the program, the team had an impressive 12-6-2 record reaching the semifinal round of the highly competitive Mid-South Conference Tournament. Under her direction, the Saints had two student-athletes earn all-conference honors. Both Ryann Meddings and Sterre Harsveld van der Veen were 2022 Second Team All-Conference selections. In 2023, Fernandez made the jump to the Division II level coaching at Lake Erie. During a crucial rebuilding season, the team achieved many firsts and saw improvements to their offensive production, allowed fewer goals, and kept multiple clean sheets for the first time since 2019. The Storm would win its first conference contest for the first time since 2021. Fernandez also coached Leonie Witt, who earned a spot in the OSCA NCAA Women's Division II All-Ohio First Team. She had a successful playing career before joining the coaching ranks. She began her playing career at Auburn University at Montgomery. In 2017 she was named the Gulf South Conference Newcomer of the Year. With a strong start to her collegiate career, Fernandez transferred to East Carolina of the American Conference. She continued to excel on and off the pitch earning her Bachelor of Science in Communication. Post-graduation, Fernandez played professionally in the inaugural season of the USL Women's League for Lexington Sporting Club. From 2017-21 she pl