NFHCA announces 2021 NFHCA Division I Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year

Dec 7, 2021 | 2021-2022, Division I, News

2021 NFHCA Division I Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year

BROCKPORT, N.Y. — Five Division I coaching staffs have been recognized as their region’s 2021 NFHCA Coaching Staff of the Year. Each honoree was selected by a majority vote of their regional collegeaues.

Mid-Atlantic Region

Rutgers University

Meredith Civico, Ajai Dhadwal, Maddy Sposito
  • Earned program-first Big Ten Conference tournament championship
  • Seeded No. 1 for NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship
  • Advanced to NCAA Elite Eight for first time in program history
  • This is Rutgers’ first Mid-Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year award

Mideast Region

Syracuse University

Ange Bradley, Tim Broenink, Mike Pallister
  • Finished the season 14-6 overall and 4-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play
  • Advanced to NCAA Elite Eight
  • Tied for a league-high five selections on the All-ACC teams
  • This is Syracuse’s fourth Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year award and third for staffs led by Bradley

Northeast Region

Harvard University

Tjerk van Herwaarden, Elizabeth Jacobson, Kelsey Kolojejchick
  • Van Herwaarden named Ivy League Coach of the Year
  • Secured Ivy League Championship after going undefeated in conference play
  • First NCAA Final Four appearance in program history
  • This is Harvard’s third Northeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year award

South Region

Liberty University

Nikki Parsley-Blocker, Alan Good, Heather Hefner
  • Named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
  • Earned BIG EAST regular-season and tournament championships
  • Advanced to the NCAA Championship game for first time in program history
  • This is Liberty’s second South Region Coaching Staff of the Year award and first for Parsley-Blocker’s staff

West Region

Northwestern University

Tracey Fuchs, Will Byrne, Georgia Holland
  • Clenched first NCAA National Championship in program history
  • Finished the season 18-5 overall and 5-3 in Big Ten Conference play
  • Six student-athletes named to an NFHCA All-West Region team and three student-athletes named All-Big Ten
  • This is Northwestern’s second West Region Coaching Staff of the Year award

While the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) officially recognizes each institution’s three countable field hockey coaches, the association acknowledges the important work of all staff members who contribute to a program’s success.

The 2021 NFHCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year will be announced on Thursday, January 13, 2022 at the NFHCA Awards Dinner sponsored by AstroTurf® at the 2022 NFHCA Annual Convention.

Mid-Atlantic photo credit: Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics

Northeast photo credit: Kirsten Doherty/Harvard Athletics

The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) is a nonprofit organization serving field hockey coaches and supporters of the game from across the United States. The mission of the organization is to champion, strengthen, and celebrate field hockey coaches and the game. The NFHCA strives to cultivate and recognize the professional contributions of its membership and to foster and promote the growth of the sport. The NFHCA is responsible for providing a recognizable presence and voice in regard to legislation affecting the sport as well as interscholastic and intercollegiate programs.