NFHCA announces 2020 NFHCA Division I Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year

May 18, 2021 | 2020-2021, Division I, News

Brockport, N.Y. — Six coaching staffs have been recognized as their region’s 2020 NFHCA Coaching Staff of the Year. Each honoree was selected by a majority vote of their regional collegeaues — the south region vote was tied.

While the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) officially recognizes each institution’s field hockey coaches, the important work of all the staff members who make a program successful is acknowledged.

The 2020 NFHCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year will be announced on the live NFHCA Awards Show sponsored by AstroTurf® on June 15, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Mid-Atlantic Region

Rider University

Lori Hussong, Gina Carey-Smith, Dan Hussong, Kelly Marks
  • Hussong named 2020 Northeast Conference Coach of the Year
  • Northeast Conference Regular-Season Champions
  • Northeast Conference Tournament Champions
  • NCAA First-Round Qualifier
  • Julia Divorra named Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year
  • This is Rider’s first Mid-Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year award

Mideast Region

Bucknell University

Jeremy Cook, Alexa Ostoich
  • Patriot League Tournament Champions
  • NCAA First-Round Qualifier
  • NCAA Elite Eight
  • Four student-athletes placed on All-Patriot League squads
  • This is Bucknell’s first Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year award

Northeast Region

University of Maine

Josette Babineau, Michelle Simpson
  • America East Co-Coaching Staff of the Year
  • America East Co-Regular Season Champions
  • Hana Davis named America East Midfielder of the Year
  • This is Maine’s second Northeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year award

South Region

University of North Carolina

Karen Shelton, Grant Fulton, Robbert Schenk
  • Earned third-consecutive and ninth-overall National Championship as 2020 Division I NCAA National Champions
  • Shelton named Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year
  • Erin Matson named ACC Offensive Player of the Year
  • ACC Tournament Champions
  • Overall NCAA Tournament first seed
  • This is UNC’s fourth-consecutive South Region Coaching Staff of the Year award and tenth overall

Virginia Commonwealth University

Stacey Bean, Kayla May, Kathi Weidman
  • Bean named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year
  • Atlantic 10 Regular-Season Champions
  • Atlantic 10 Tournament Champions
  • NCAA First-Round Qualifier
  • Posted highest team GPA in Division I
  • Janne Wetzel named A10 Defensive Player of the Year
  • Bridget McCormick named A10 Rookie of the Year
  • This is the first South Region Coaching Staff of the Year award for VCU

West Region

Stanford University

Tara Danielson, Pat Cota, Steve Danielson
  • America East Tournament Champions
  • NCAA Elite Eight
  • Corinne Zanolli named America East Offensive Player of the Year
  • Posted second-highest team GPA in Division I
  • This is Stanford’s second West Region Coaching Staff of the Year award

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.