Molloy College announced the hiring of Hicksville resident Susan Cassidy-Lyke as athletic director, effective Jan. 2.

"I am very honored to have the opportunity to return to my alma mater," said Cassidy-Lyke. "Molloy College represents all the values I have been raised with having grown up in a Catholic school system. Stepping in as the athletic director is a challenge I am eagerly anticipating. I am committed to improving the status of Molloy's athletic teams with the competitive NYCAC (New York Collegiate Athletic Conference). Molloy College has a wonderful reputation for producing excellent student athletes and I pledge to continue this tradition."

Cassidy-Lyke graduated summa cum laude from Molloy College in 1986 with a bachelor of arts degree in business management and a minor in mathematics. During her time at Molloy, she was a stand-out athlete on the softball and basketball teams and was inducted into the Molloy College Hall of Fame in 1997. Cassidy-Lyke went on to earn her masters in Criminal Justice from John Jay College in 1990.

Over the past 15 years, Cassidy-Lyke has been a three-sport coach at Holy Trinity Diocesan High School in Hicksville. She has guided both the women's basketball team (1990-1997) and volleyball team (1990-1996) while compiling a 285-87 overall record as head softball coach since 1991. During her tenure as a softball coach, she captured nine league titles and four New York State titles.

In addition, Cassidy-Lyke was named NYSCHGAA Softball Coach of the Year four times, Inaugural Nassau County Female Coach of the Year in 1995, Newsday's Nassau County Coach of the Year in 2003 and in 2002, and was inducted into the Verizon Academic All-American Hall of Fame.

In April 2006, Cassidy-Lyke will also be inducted into the Holy Trinity Hall of Fame. For the past nine years she has served as the head women's volleyball coach at Long Island University - C.W. Post and has been an assistant coach for the Long Island Women's Open Softball Team at the Empire State Games since 1995. Cassidy-Lyke also enters her first season with the Molloy College women's softball team this spring.

In 1986, Cassidy-Lyke joined the New York City Police Academy and was elevated to sergeant in 1989. She was named lieutenant in 1997 and then was promoted to police captain in 2003. In addition, she attended the FBI National Academy in 2000. She lives in Hicksville with her husband, John.