Congratulations to MAX Field Hockey’s 2021 High School State, Regional & National Coaches of the Year!

NATIONAL & PENNSYLVANIA REGION & STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

SUE BUTZ-STAVIN
Emmaus High School
Emmaus, Pennsylvania

Butz-Stavin continues to achieve what no other high school field hockey coach has, tallying her 1,000 career win in 2021 (earning her a spot on The Today’s Show).  At age 68 in her 46th season coaching, the Green Hornets were the top ranked team in the nation, finished a perfect 28-0, won their 38th District 11 championship (including the last 32 in a row) and won the program’s 14th state championship with a 1-0 victory over #5 ranked Lower Dauphin in the final.

NEW ENGLAND REGION & MAINE STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

THERESA HENDRIX
Cheverus High School
Portland, Maine

 

Hendrix led Cheverus to a dominant 18-0 season and the program’s first ever state title in 2021.  The Stags claimed the Maine Class A State Championship with a 4-1 win over then undefeated perennial powerhouse Skowhegan.  Hendrix’ squad outscored their competition 99-9 and finished ranked #5 in the New England Region.

NORTHEAST REGION & NEW YORK STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

GINA WALLING
Northport High School
Northport, New York

Walling led a dominant Northport squad to the program’s first ever state title this Fall.  The Tigers finished the season a perfect 21-0, outscoring opponents 109 to 6, claiming the Suffolk County and Long Island ‘A’ titles, and then going 3-0 and outscoring opponents 13-0 in the New York State Class A Tournament to claim the A title with a 1-0 win over Section II Shenendehowa in the final.  Northport finished the season with the top ranking in the Northeast Region and ranked #19 in the nation.

NEW JERSEY REGION & STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

JILL COSSE
West Essex High School
North Caldwell, New Jersey

Cosse secured her 500th win in her 25th season and led West Essex to the 2021 NJSIAA Group 2 State Championship, her 13th title and the programs 21st overall.  Finishing the season 23-3 and outscoring opponents 160-14, notable wins included a 5-0 victory over nationally ranked #23 and eventual Kentucky State Champion Sacred Heart Academy at the MAX Field Hockey National Invitational, as well as a 2-1 win over Mid-Atlantic Region #8 ranked Garrison Forest School (MD).  Their three losses on the season came at the hands of all top nationally ranked opponents: #4 The Hill School (PA), a 1-2 loss in OT to Non-Public State Champions #11 Oak Knoll School (NJ), and a 3-4 buzzer beater loss to #7 Eastern Regional in the Tournament of Champions semifinal.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION & MARYLAND STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

CARRIE VOSBURG
Arundel High School
Gambrills, Maryland

In her 10th and final season at the helm, Vosburg led Arundel from an 0-6 start and #7 state tournament seeding to the program’s first ever State Championship.  The Wildcats went 5-0 after that 0-6 start and finished the season 11-8, knocking off the top 3 seeds in the 3A State Tournament, including a 2-1 win over the #1 seed River Hill in the championship game to win the title.

WEST/MIDWEST REGION & MICHIGAN STATE COACH OF THE YEAR

NICKY BARRETT
Skyline High School
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Barrett has led Skyline on an impressive trajectory in her ten years coaching.  Claiming State Championships at the Division 2 level in 2013 and 2019, the Eagles moved up to Division 1 in 2020, where they earned a spot in the semifinal.  This Fall, they went 15-2-1, claimed the Division 1 State Championship and finished as the #7 ranked team in the West/Mid-West Region.  Their two losses on the season were to top-ranked and undefeated Pioneer, who they came back and defeated 4-3 in the championship game.  This was all with a roster that started six sophomores and a first year senior goalkeeper.

2021 STATE COACHES OF THE YEAR

 

CALIFORNIA

JANE MORRILL
Scripps Ranch High School
San Diego, California

Morrill led the Falcons to the 2021 San Diego Open Division Championship.  Finishing with an overall record of 21-2-1 and #10 ranking in the West/Mid-West Region, Morrill’s squad entered the postseason as the top seed, won 3 straight and defeated a tough 22-4-0 and West/Mid-West Region #12 ranked Torrey Pines team in the final to claim their third straight CIF title.  Morrill was named 2021 All-CIF San Diego Section Co-Coach of the Year.

COLORADO

SPENCER WAGNER
Regis Jesuit High School
Aurora, Colorado

 

Wagner led Regis Jesuit to the 2021 Colorado State Championship, the program’s third title in four years.  The Raiders finished 17-0-1, impressively outscoring opponents 69-5, including a 1-0 victory over the #2 seed Colorado Academy in the final.  Wagner was named the 2021 Conference and All-State Coach of the Year.

CONNECTICUT

MARY CLARE SNEDIKER
New Canaan High School
New Canaan, Connecticut

Snediker led New Canaan to an impressive 22-1 season, final ranking of #2 in the Northeast Region and the 2021 CIAC Class L State Championship.  The title is the program’s 6th overall, the first with Snediker at the helm.  The Rams finished the regular season with an undefeated 16-0 record, only falling to Darien in double overtime of the FCIAC championship, before going 4-0 in the state tournament.  Even more impressive may be the fact that Snediker led the Rams to such a dominating season while on maternity leave with a newborn (thanks to the help of assistant coach Megan Cunningham).

DELAWARE

KATE AUSTIN
Cape Henlopen High School
Lewes, Delaware

Austin (pictured second from left) led Cape Henlopen to it’s fifth consecutive DIAA Division I State Championship in 2021, and 10th title in the last 11 year.  The Vikings finished #5 in the Mid-Atlantic Region with an overall record of 17-2, outscoring opponents 138-10.   The Vikings 2 losses on the season were at the hands of #8 nationally ranked Division 2 State Champions Delmar, both losses by a score of 1-2 (1 of those in OT).

ILLINOIS

KRISTIN WIRTZ
Oak Park and River Forest High School
Oak Park, Illinois

 

Wirtz led her alma mater OPRF to an 18-3-6 season, 2nd place finish in the state, and final ranking of #15 in the West/Mid-West Region.  Their appearance in the final was the program’s first since 2008.  The Huskies went 14-3 in the West Suburban Silver Conference, outscored opponents 57-17 and registered wins over state powerhouses New Trier and Lake Forest throughout the season.  The 3-0 victory over the #1 seed Lake Forest in the semifinal to move onto the final was the most notable win and 16th shutout of the season.

KENTUCKY

ELEANOR MITCHELL
Sacred Heart Academy
Louisville, Kentucky

Mitchell led the top team in the state of Kentucky from start to finish in 2021.  The Valkyries finished 24-3 overall, with a final national ranking of #23, and final West/Mid-West Region ranking of #2, and claimed the 2021 KHSAA State Championship and Apple Tournament Championships.  10 of those 24 wins were against regionally ranked opponents, including in-state rival West/Mid-West #3 ranked Assumption, West/MidWest #5 ranked Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School (MO)- the MidWest Tournament Champions, Northeast #11 ranked Burnt Hills Ballston Lake High School (NY) – the NYS Class B State Champions, and Mid-Atlantic #16 ranked Providence Day School (NC) – the NCISAA state runner-up.  The Valkyries 3 losses of the season were all to Pennsylvania and New Jersey top 20 ranked eventual state champion teams (#6 Wyoming Seminary (PA), #7 Eastern Regional (NJ), #12 West Essex (NJ)).

MASSACHUSETTS

MAUREEN NOONE
Andover High School
Andover, Massachusetts

Noone led Andover to an undefeated 21-0-1 season and Division I State Championship, defeating a very strong Walpole squad in the final 1-0.  The title is Andover’s second in the last five years, Noone’s fourth at the helm.  The Golden Warriors outscored opponents 86-7 throughout the season and finished with a national ranking of #25 and #2 in the New England Region.

MISSOURI

DANA OPPERMANN
Kirkwood High School
Kirkwood, Missouri

In 2019 Kirkwood was 4-16-1, scored 7 goals and gave up 48.  In 2021, Oppermann led Kirwood to a 12-9 finish, with 33 goals for and 15 goals against.  The Pioneers finished second in the Suburban Conference Yellow Pool standings, won Pool I of the Gateway Classic, and lost 6 games by 1 goal, 1 by 2 goals, and 1 by 3 goals.  She was also named the 2021 Janet Esrock Coach of the Year.

NEW ENGLAND PREP

KATE DOLAN
Phillips Academy Andover
Andover, Massachusetts

After not having a season in 2020 due to the pandemic, Dolan led the top team in the New England Region and #21 team in the nation to an undefeated 18-0-1 season and NEPSAC A Championship in 2021.  That championship road included victories over two of the top squads in the Northeast Region- 3-1 over #8 Greenwich Academy (CT) in the semifinal and 4-1 over #3 Sacred Heart Greenwich (CT) in the final. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEB GROTT
Exeter High School
Exeter, New Hampshire

Grott led Exeter to the NHIAA Division I State Championship, finishing 18-1, and claiming the program’s second title (the first was in 2013).  The Blue Hawks sole loss of the regular season was to two-time defending state champions Windham, by a score of 1-0.  Trailing in the state championship final to Windham again 1-0, Grott’s squad managed a 2-1 comeback off two goals within the last six minutes of the game by junior Addison MacNeil.  Exeter finished the 2021 season ranked #8 in the New England Region.

NORTH CAROLINA

ERICA ADCOCK
Myers Park High School
Charlotte, North Carolina

In her final season at the helm, Adcock led Myers Park to the 2021 NCFHA State Championship and an 18-3 finish.  The Mustangs went on an 8-0 run to finish the season and outscored opponents 31-1 in the NCFHA State Tournament, defeating East Chapel Hill 3-0 in the final to claim the program’s fifth title.  Adcock was also named the Charlotte Observer Coach of the Year and finishes her Myers Park coaching career with an overall record of 102-24.

OHIO

JANET BAIRD
Bishop Watterson High School
Columbus, Ohio

Baird led Watterson to an undefeated 20-0-1 season and the 2021 OHSAA State Championship, the program’s second consecutive title and fifth overall.  The Eagles graduated a senior class of seven from last year’s championship squad, as well as two key returning senior attackers (also lacrosse players) who did not play this Fall.  A much different roster returned to defend their title.  With a lone tie against Thomas Worthington during the regular season, the Eagles faced the Cardinals again in the state final, where they would go on to win 2-1 in overtime on a penalty stroke by Molly Griffith.  Watterson finished the season ranked #9 in the West/Mid-West Region.

RHODE ISLAND

DEB MCMULLEN
East Greenwich High School
East Greenwich, Rhode Island

McMullen led East Greenwich to it’s third-straight RIIL Division 1 State Championship this Fall.  The Avengers finished 16-1-1 and claimed the 2021 title with a 1-0 victory over Moses Brown in the final. After starting 3-1-1, East Greenwich won 13 straight, outscoring opponents 44-9, and finished with a final ranking of #20 in the Northeast Region.

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA

JACKIE CICONTE
The Kinkaid School
Houston, Texas

Ciconte led the top team in the West/Mid-West region from start to finish this season.  The Falcons went 17-1, claiming the 2021 SPC Championship, and outscoring in-state opponents 102-4.  Their only loss of the season was to the #4 ranked team in the nation, The Hill School (PA) at the MAX Field Hockey National Invitational, where they also defeated the eventual Illinois State Champions New Trier, 4-1.  Kinkaid finished the season ranked #9 in the nation.

VERMONT

MARY STETSON
Mount Abraham Union High School
Bristol, Vermont

In her 30th season, Stetson led Mount Abraham to a 15-1-1 season and fourth straight VPA Division II State Championship, 12th overall.  The Eagles who dominated Division 2 play, also secured 9 wins over Division I opponents.  They competed with the top team in the state and eventual Division I State Champions South Burlington in a 1-2 loss and then a 1-1 tie.

VIRGINIA

TAYLOR ROUNTREE
Frank W. Cox High School
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Rountree led the top team in the Mid-Atlantic region to the VHSL Group 5 State Championship, their 4th consecutive title and 23rd overall (more than any other team in the state).  The Falcons finished the season ranked #3 in the nation, outscored opponents 117-3 (31-0 in the postseason) and defeated four Mid-Atlantic Region Top 20 teams, including VISAA Division I Champions Norfolk Academy and VISAA Division I Runner-Up Trinity Episcopal School, as well as First Colonial, ranked #16 in the nation, three times.  Rountree was also named the VHSL Class 5 Coach of the Year.

WISCONSIN

ANDREA BURLEW
University School of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Burlew led her alma mater to the 2021 State Championship with a 4-1 win over Arrowhead Union.  It was USM’s 11th title, with the most recent coming in 2014.  The Wildcats completed an undefeated 14-0-1 season and outscored opponents 52-4.