BROCKPORT, N.Y. — The NFHCA Nominating Committee has announced that Janelle Benner and Jessica Spencer have been elected to serve as members of the NFHCA Board of Directors, while Anne Parmenter and Cheryl Murtagh have been reelected to second terms in their respective board positions.
In their new roles, both Benner and Spencer are tasked with representing their respective NCAA Division in board decisions and discussion while facilitating communication between the NFHCA leadership and their members. Benner will begin her three-year term as the representative for NCAA Division III coaches and Spencer will begin her three-year term as the board representative for NCAA Division II coaches.
Benner is in her tenth year as the head coach at the Ursinus College and currently serves as the National Chair for the NFHCA Division III All-American Committee. Spencer is in her 14th year as the head coach at Bentley University and has been active within the NFHCA — she is currently serving on the NCAA Legislative Committee and has previously served on the Collegiate Senior Game Committee.
“It is an honor to be elected to serve as the Division III representative on the NFHCA Board of Directors,” Benner said. “I have had the privilege of serving on committees in the NFHCA in the past and look forward to the opportunity to continue to grow connections amongst the coaches of the Division III membership as well as through the NFHCA as a whole.”
“I am honored for the opportunity to represent the Division II coaches on the NFHCA Board of Directors,” Spencer noted. “This organization has given me so much and I look forward to serving the membership.”
Cheryl Murtagh will begin her second term as the Vice President, Finances for the association. Murtagh is currently a volunteer coach at Saint Anselm College and previously served on the staff at the University of New Hampshire and as the head coach at Northeastern University. Murtagh has served as the VP, Finances since February 2021 — she was integral in the planning and execution of the NFHCA first-ever Divots Golf Classic. As the VP, Finances, she will continue to oversee the NFHCA Annual Convention Committee, aid in the production of the association’s annual report, and advise on financial aspects of the organization.
Anne Parmenter, who just completed her 21st season as the head coach at Trinity College, will begin her second term as the NFHCA’s President. Parmenter has served as the president of the association since April 2020 and has overseen the adoption of new association bylaws, the hiring of a new executive director, and the operation of the 2021 Virtual Coaches’ Caucus and the 2022 NFHCA Annual Convention. As the president, Parmenter will continue to provide vision and direction to the NFHCA and work closely with the NFHCA staff to oversee and advance the business of the association.
To learn more about the NFHCA Board of Directors and their responsibilities, review our bylaws. The newly elected board members will go through an onboarding process before meeting next month.
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.