Molly O’Malley Watts

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Molly O’Malley Watts grew up in Tunkhannock with her parents, Ned and Margy O’Malley, and her brother, E.J. She played every community sport available to her – including soccer, softball, basketball, track & field, and cross country. Encouraged by her middle school physical education teacher, Denise Wisser, and her friends, she decided to try field hockey in ninth grade and was immediately hooked. At Tunkhannock Area High School, Molly excelled both academically and athletically. She earned varsity letters in field hockey, basketball, and track & field. In field hockey, she was named First Team All-State, Wyoming Valley Conference (WVC) MVP, and four-time WVC all-star. In track and field, she won six District 2 medals and was a three-year state meet qualifier. Molly turned down multiple athletic scholarship offers to attend Princeton University, where she continued her field hockey career.

At Princeton, Molly was a four year-starter, a three-time First Team All-Ivy selection, a three-time First-Team Mid-Atlantic Regional All-American selection, an NCAA All-Tournament team selection, and an NCAA Division 1 First-Team All-American. She scored the game-winning goal in double overtime against Iowa in the 1996 NCAA tournament, sending the Tigers to the program’s first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance. She helped lead her team to three consecutive Final Four appearances, including two NCAA Championship games. During her four years, the team went undefeated in Ivy league play and achieved a program-best 65-15 record. She graduated as Princeton’s third all-time leading scorer, with 41 goals and 19 assists. Molly’s contributions extended beyond offense – she also served as the defensive flyer for penalty corners. Molly was named a team captain her senior year and was awarded the Princeton University Thorp Van Dusen Goodfellow Award for Excellence. While at Princeton, Molly was also named to the United States Under-23 National Team, representing her country in both national and international competitions. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Princeton in 1999 and later obtained a master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2004.

Today, Molly lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Andrew, and their three children: Jack, Katelyn, and Hannah. She is the owner and president of a health policy consulting firm, conducting research on Medicaid and long-term care policy. Previously, she worked at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and the White House Office of Management and Budget. Molly has also coached youth field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. The love and support of her family, coaches, and teammates have been instrumental in her life. Their belief in her ensured that she never saw limits to what she could achieve. She hopes to honor their impact by inspiring and mentoring the next generation of young athletes.