Jill Cosse Named to NFHCA’s Hall of Fame

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Jill Cosse, head varsity field hockey coach at West Essex High School in North Caldwell, New Jersey, will be inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026. 

Cosse’s record at West Essex High School currently stands at 600-52-14. She earned her 600th career victory in 2025 when her squad won the program’s 23rd New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 2 State Championship.  

“Field hockey has blessed my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined,” said Cosse upon hearing about the honor. “The love and friendships I have been given from this game go far beyond the playing field. I share this award with the many incredible coaches, players, and families who have walked this journey with me. Coaching has been the joy of my life, and I am always humbled by the girls, their happiness and the energy they bring to every moment. I am honored to be recognized by the NFHCA and feel incredibly thankful.” 

Championship Roots

Cosse’s championship mentality was honed during her remarkable career as a student-athlete at The College of New Jersey (then Trenton State College) where she was coached by NFHCA Hall of Famer, Sharon Pfluger.  

Few coaches are as familiar with the championship stage as Cosse. As a student-athlete, she played in an incredible seven NCAA Division III National Championship games — three in field hockey and four in lacrosse. TCNJ went on to win five of those contests during Cosse’s career, bringing three lacrosse and two field hockey national championships back to Ewing. She compiled a 114-7-2 record as a student-athlete, a tally which includes four undefeated seasons. Cosse earned All-American honors three times and, in 2011, was inducted into the TCNJ Hall of Fame as an individual and as part of the 1990 field hockey squad. 

Following her decorated playing career, Cosse spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Kean University before she took the reins at West Essex High School. 

Cosse wasted little time adding to the program’s success, taking a storied West Essex program to new heights. In her first season, she led the Knights to a sectional championship and a state championship in a dramatic triple-overtime victory.

Championship Tradition 

Since her inaugural 1997 season, Cosse has led the Knights to 16 NJSIAA Group 2 State Championships — including a current seven-consecutive title run that began in 2018. Her teams have also won 23 NJSIAA Sectional titles, with 11-consecutive titles beginning in 2015, 28 conference championships, 18 Essex County Championships, and nine Tournament of Champions appearances. 

Cosse has earned recognition as the NJ.com Coach of the Year in 2025, USA Field Hockey’s National Coach of the Year in 2021, Max Field Hockey’s New Jersey Coach of the Year in 2021, the NJSIAA Coach of the Year in Field Hockey in 2007, and the Star-Ledger Statewide Coach of the Year, Field Hockey in 2005. 

Across her 29-year coaching career in North Caldwell, Cosse has coached 27 NFHCA High School All-Americans and 66 NFHCA All-Region selections. More than 100 of her student-athletes have gone on to play field hockey in college. 

Cosse’s winning ways — like in her college career — transcend field hockey. She coached the West Essex girls lacrosse program from 1997-2018 amassing a 301-113-3 record and winning the 2009 NJSIAA State Championship. She was named the Star-Ledger Statewide Coach of the Year, Lacrosse in 2002 and the Northeast Sectional Coach of the Year in 2005. 

Beyond the West Essex sideline, Cosse has given much to the sport by volunteering her time through the NFHCA High School All-American Committee and her club NJ GRIT, which was founded in 2020. 

This is Cosse’s fifth Hall of Fame, having already been inducted into the NJSIAA Hall of Fame, The College of New Jersey Hall of Fame, the US Lacrosse New Jersey Hall of Fame, and the Wall High School Hall of Fame. 

Continued Celebration

The 2026 Hall of Fame class will be recognized at the NFHCA Awards Dinner, which will take place during the 2027 NFHCA Annual Convention in Lake Mary, Florida on January 14, 2027. The 2026 class will be inducted alongside 2025 Hall of Famer Tracey Fuchs, who deferred her induction by a year to travel as an assistant coach with the USA Women’s National Team during their 2026 New Zealand tour.

Upcoming features highlighting each individual honoree will be published on NFHCA.org throughout the next week.

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