Helen Knull — Leading, Learning, and Lifting Up the Game

Manahawkin, NJ -​ When Helen Knull arrived in East Lansing in 2010, she never imagined she would one day be the longest-tenured head coach in Michigan State field hockey history. Now, as she prepares for her 15th season at the helm in 2025, Knull owns the second-most wins in the program’s record books and has become a pillar of leadership far beyond the sidelines.

Yet for Knull, success has never been confined to the score sheet. A former Division I representative on the NFHCA Board of Directors and current member of the NFHCA Division I National Scheduling Ad Hoc Committee, she views service to the association as an extension of her coaching philosophy: building community, investing in people, and shaping the sport’s future.

“I was raised to give back,” she says. “Volunteering with the NFHCA sustains and grows field hockey, and it has allowed me to forge friendships with coaches I might never have met otherwise.”

Wearing Many Hats — and Loving It

Knull’s resume of NFHCA volunteer roles is extensive: Bylaws Committee member, All-American Committee member, National Scheduling Ad Hoc Committee contributor, Campfire Mentor, and former Collegiate Senior Game staffer. Each assignment, she notes, has sharpened a different skill set.

Serving on the bylaws committee proved especially formative.

“It forced me into the details,” Knull recalls. “You have to ask why a policy exists, anticipate unintended consequences, and be willing to reshape language for the good of the whole.”

That eye for detail is matched by a talent for collaboration. Whether she is navigating scheduling logistics or debating legislation, colleagues describe her as a steady voice who balances advocacy with pragmatism.

Mentors Who Model Excellence

Knull is quick to credit those who have guided her. She singles out NFHCA Board of Directors legal counsel Sam Ekstrand as a mentor who “communicates brilliantly” and models decisive, inclusive leadership.

“Every time I talk to Sam, she empowers me to be the biggest advocate for myself,” Knull says. “She challenges decisions, yet always presents solutions.”

Why the NFHCA Matters

Through 14 seasons in the Big Ten, Knull has learned that policy changes at the NCAA level rarely happen without grassroots momentum. “Networking and relationship-building inside the NFHCA are critical,” she explains. “Any change we want for our sport passes through this association first.”

“The NFHCA is our collective voice. If you want something to improve, you can’t sit on the sidelines—you have to get informed, speak up, and step up. Working alongside coaches from every division broadens my perspective and helps me make better decisions for the game as a whole.”

A Call to Action

As the Spartans prepare for another fall campaign, Knull remains committed to carving out time for NFHCA service—proof, she believes, that busy schedules need not be barriers to meaningful engagement.

“Change doesn’t happen by accident,” she says with a smile. “It happens because people care enough to roll up their sleeves.”

From mentoring young assistants to reshaping national legislation, Helen Knull’s fingerprints are all over the sport she loves. And as she strides into her 15th season, the message to her peers is clear: the future of field hockey is brightest when every coach lends a hand.

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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.