Congratulations to MAX Field Hockey’s 2018 High School State, Regional & National Coaches of the Year!

NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR
NEW JERSEY STATE & REGION COACH OF THE YEAR

 

DANYLE HEILIG
Eastern Regional High School
Voorhees, New Jersey

500 career wins, a 20th straight state title, a final national ranking of #1.. these are just a few of Heilig’s accomplishments this Fall leading Eastern Regional to another unmatched season.  Heilig led the Vikings to a perfect 27-0 finish, capped with a Group IV State Championship and New Jersey Tournament of Champions Championship.  Her squad knocked off five state champions throughout the season: Wyoming Seminary (PA 1A State Champs), Sacred Heart Academy (Kentucky State Champs), and in-state champs Oak Knoll School (Non-Public), West Essex (Group 2), and Moorestown (Group 3).  Yes, she had a lot of talent on her roster, but it is her teaching, coaching, attention to detail, and expecting nothing less than the best from her players that got her team the incredible results they did this Fall.

NEW ENGLAND REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
VERMONT STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

 

BETHANY COURSEN
Bellows Falls Union High School 
Westminster, Vermont

From back-to-back Division 3 State Championships in 2015 and 2016, to a Division 2 State Championship in 2017, to a Division 1 State Championship in 2018– Coursen has led Bellows Falls right on up through the ranks in Vermont landing at the top this Fall.  The Terriers finished their third consecutive perfect season in style, upsetting the top-seeded three-time Division 1 State Champs South Burlington 2-0 to win the Division 1 State Championship after just moving up to Division 1 this season.

NORTHEAST REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
CONNECTICUT STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

 

IAN TAPSALL
Staples High School 
Westport, Connecticut

In just his fourth season at the helm, Tapsall led Staples to their third straight Class L State Championship.  The 22-1-0 Wreckers finished the 2018 season ranked #3 in the Northeast Region and #19 in the nation.  Even more impressive may be that Tapsall managed to keep Staples as the top squad in Connecticut, repeating their state title run, and allowing only 9 goals through 23 games despite graduating 12 seniors from last year’s championship team.  

PENNSYLVANIA STATE & REGION COACH OF THE YEAR

 

BRI PRICE
Hershey High School
Hershey, Pennsylvania

Price led Hershey to the program’s first ever state championship- what we consider to be the most difficult High School field hockey state championship to win in the entire country.  The Trojans were strong all season and were always in the conversation of the top teams coming out of District III and the state.  They got knocked off by their talented rival Lower Dauphin in the District III AAA semifinals and then got hot in the state tournament.  Price’s squad knocked off three Pennsylvania Region Top 20 teams in Owen J. Roberts, Penn Manor, and Emmaus to get to a rematch with Lower Dauphin in the state final.  They were 1-2 against Lower Dauphin on the season prior to that meeting.  With a big penalty stroke save and an overtime goal, Hershey would win the AAA State Championship and finish the season 19-5-1 ranked the #2 team in the nation.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
DELAWARE STATE COACH OF THE YEAR 

 

JODI HOLLOMAN
Delmar High School
Delmar, Delaware

Holloman led Delmar to new nationally recognized levels this Fall, finishing 2018 as the top ranked squad in the Mid-Atlantic Region and the #5 ranked team in the nation.  The Wildcats finished a perfect 18-0 season and repeated as the Delaware Division 2 State Champions.  They knocked off two other 2018 state champs along the way (Cape Henlopen- Delaware D1 State Champs, and South River- Maryland 4A State Champs), and absolutely stormed through the state tournament, outscoring opponents 17-0 on their way to a third straight championship.

WEST/MID-WEST REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
OHIO STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

 

ANNE HORTON
Columbus Academy
Columbus, Ohio

Horton led Columbus Academy to it’s Ohio-record 11th overall State Championship this Fall and first title since 2013.  The Vikings finished the season a perfect 21-0, with a final National Ranking of #20 and West/Mid-West Ranking of #3.  Horton, who earned her 500th win last season, was also just named the 2018 National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National Coach of the Year for Field Hockey.

2018 STATE COACHES OF THE YEAR

 

CALIFORNIA

ERIN CREZNIC
Harvard-Westlake School
Los Angeles, California

Creznic led Harvard-Westlake to a perfect 19-0 season and their third straight LAFHA League Championship this Fall.  The Wolverines outscored opponents 89-7 and are 39-0 over the last two seasons.  Creznic led a well-balanced squad with impact players in all classes, including five seniors, All-Region junior and Yale-commit Rachel Brown, as well as the talented freshmen Ganocy twins (Ella and Bella).

COLORADO

SPENCER WAGNER
Regis Jesuit High School
Aurora, Colorado

Wagner led Regis Jesuit Field Hockey to a 15-2-1 and historical season this fall, a program he started back in 2009.  Not only did the Raiders make their first state title appearance (they had made it to the state semi-final three times before), they went on to upset top seeded and undefeated Cherry Creek 2-1 in overtime to win the program’s first ever Colorado State Championship.

ILLINOIS

STEPHANIE NYKAZA
New Trier High School
Winnetka, Illinois

Nykaza led New Trier to the Illinois State Championship this Fall.  The Trevians finished the season 22-2 and knocked off 2-time defending state champions Lake Forest three times during the season- the first two during the regular season in overtime and the third in the state final, where they won 3-0 in perhaps their best game of the season.  Nykaza’s squad earned national recognition for their performance, finishing the 2018 season as the #2 team in the West/Mid-West Region and the #17 ranked team in the nation.

KENTUCKY

ELEANOR MITCHELL
Sacred Heart Academy
Louisville, Kentucky

Mitchell led her alma mater to a special season this Fall.  The Valkyries dominated the state of Kentucky, the Mid-West region (beating the Illinois State Champs New Trier) and even knocked off Pennsylvania power house and 1A State Champs Wyoming Seminary.  Finishing 25-1 with their only loss to the #1 team in the nation, Eastern Regional (NJ), Sacred Heart won their 2nd KHSAA state title (10th overall) beating KCD 1-0 in the final.  Mitchell’s squad finished as the #1 team in the West/Mid-West region and the #8 team in the nation.  

MAINE

CAITLIN ALBERT
Biddeford High School 
Biddeford, Maine

Albert led Biddeford to their first Maine Class A State Championship since 1990 and a #3 final New England Region ranking.  The Tigers knocked off top-seeded and undefeated powerhouse Skowhegan in the championship game.  After coming out to a 4-1 lead, they held off the Indian’s comeback to claim the title 4-3.  Albert’s squad finished the season undefeated at 17-0-1 in her fifth season and as the top ranked team in the state.

MARYLAND

MEGAN ATKINSON
South River High School 
Edgewater, Maryland

Atkinson led South River to the Anne Arundel County and Maryland 4A State Championships this Fall.  It was the Seahawks third consecutive state title and fourth championship in seven years.  Atkinson’s squad finished 16-3 and with a final Mid-Atlantic Region Ranking of #11.

MASSACHUSETTS

KATE DOLAN
Phillips Academy Andover
Andover, Massachusetts

Dolan led the top team in the state and New England Region to a perfect 20-0 season and the 2018 NEPSAC A Championship this Fall.  The Big Blue finished among the top 25 teams in the nation, ending the season with a final national ranking of #21.  Dolan’s squad conceded only 5 goals all season and knocked off five of the New England Region and Northeast Region’s top teams, including the Northeast #5 ranked Hotchkiss School 2-1 in the A title game.  

MICHIGAN

LAUREN HALL
Huron High School
Ann Arbor, Michigan

In just her third season at the helm, Hall has now led Huron to back-to-back Division I state championships.  The River Rats had high expectations coming into the 2018 season after just graduating two seniors from last year’s championship team.  They suffered a couple of road losses in September, but once they hit October, they hit their stride going 7-0, to finish the season 19-4 and beating top seeded Saline in the final 1-0 to claim the title.  Hall’s squad finished the season with a final West/Mid-West Region ranking of #11.

MISSOURI

KATE GRAFT
Villa Duchesne & Oak Hill School
Saint Louis, Missouri

Graft led Villa Duchesne to their second consecutive Midwest Field Hockey Tournament championship this Fall, finishing 22-5-1.  The 2018 championship is the program’s 11th title overall and second in the last 11 years.   Graft’s squad faced one of the tougher schedules in the region this season, facing several top ranked opponents from Kentucky, Texas, Michigan, and Illinois.  That high level of competition paid off and prepared the Saints for postseason play where they outscored opponents 16-0 en route to the title and a final West/Mid-West ranking of #10.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

LENNY MCCAIGUE
The Derryfield School
Manchester, New Hampshire

McCaigue led Derryfield to the 2018 NHII Division II State Championship this Fall defeating Hanover 1-0 in the title game.  It was the Cougars first Division II state title in program history, and fifth overall title (previous titles were at the Division III level).  McCaigue’s squad finished the season 15-1-1 and as one of the “Others Considered” teams in the New England Region final rankings.  

NEW YORK

DIANE CHAPMAN
Garden City High School
Garden City, New York

Chapman led Garden City to a perfect 19-0 season and the 2018 Nassau County B and New York Class B State Championships.  The Trojans defeated 9-time defending state champions Lakeland 1-0 in the state title game to win their first championship since 2008.  Chapman’s squad finished the season as the top-ranked squad in the Northeast Region (CT, NY, RI), and with a final National Ranking of #11.

NORTH CAROLINA

ERICA ADCOCK
Myers Park High School
Charlotte, North Carolina

Adcock led Myers Park to a third straight NCFHA State Championship and perfect 23-0 season this Fall.  The Mustangs dominated all NCFHA and NCISAA competition across the state of North Carolina this season, earning them the top ranking in North Carolina and a final Mid-Atlantic Region Ranking of #6.  

RHODE ISLAND

HOLLY MORRIS
Barrington High School
Barrington, Rhode Island

Morris led Barrington to a strong finish this Fall, capturing the Division I state championship.  After falling to powerhouse and top-seeded Moses Brown two times earlier in the season (4-0, 4-3), Morris’ squad peaked at the right time of the year and put together a impressive postseason run capped with a 2-1 win over Moses Brown.  The win earned them their second title in three years, a final record of 13-2-1 and  a final Northeast Region ranking of #11.

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA

CHELSEA RICHARDS
St. Stephen’s Episcopal School
Austin, Texas

Richards led St. Stephen’s Episcopal to a program-best third place finish in the Southwest Prep Conference this Fall.  Finishing 15-4, Richards impressively took her Austin-based squad to new levels this season, rising to a third place finish in the state of Texas, where the Houston-based school’s typically dominate the sport.

VIRGINIA

MARGIE SNEAD
Trinity Episcopal School
Richmond, Virginia

Snead led Trinity Episcopal School to a perfect 23-0 season this Fall, capturing the LIS title and the VISAA Division I state championship.  It was the program’s 5th straight LIS title and second VISAA title in program history.  The Titan’s outscored opponents 99-4 and had wins over five squads ranked in the final Mid-Atlantic Region rankings.  They finished the season as the #3 ranked team in the Mid-Atlantic region and with a final national ranking of #9.

WISCONSIN

KATIE SCHLOSSER
Brookfield Academy
Brookfield, Wisconsin

Schlosser led Brookfield to another Wisconsin State Championship this Fall.  The 2018 championship is the Blue Knights third consecutive title.  Schlosser coached her young squad through a challenging season in which they lost three conference games to peak at the right time and claim the title with a 1-0 win over Arrowhead Union in the final.