Dec. 8, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Maryland field hockey head coach Missy Meharg was named the Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Wednesday. Meharg earns the Region's honor for the 13th time in her 23-year career.
In the 2010 season, Meharg led a Terrapin squad that had seven new starters and 14 underclassmen on the roster. The Terps went 23-1 on the year, including a 15-game win streak to end the season with the program's seventh NCAA title.
The Terrapins went 5-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference competition for the second straight year. They won their third consecutive ACC crown and ninth under Meharg. She was named ACC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her career.
Meharg's overall record of 413-102-9 gives her a winning percentage of .796, which is second among all active coaches. She earned her 400th career victory with a 4-3 win at Michigan on Oct. 3. Over the last two seasons, the Terrapins are 46-2 with two ACC championships, two trips to the NCAA Finals and an NCAA championship.
She has coached four Honda Award winners that have won five awards, 45 All-Americans, five four-time All Americans, nine ACC Player of the Year recipients, seven ACC Freshman of the Year winners.
Four of Meharg's former athletes served on the U.S. National team for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Lauren Powley, Dina Rizzo and Keli Smith were on the 16-spot roster and Sara Silvetti served as an alternate. Katie Kauffman Beach was the Terps' first Olympian in Atlanta Games in 1996. Terrapin athletes have played on their respective national teams from eight countries around the world: England, Ireland, Chile, Holland, Germany, Australia, Zimbabwe, Scotland. Katie O'Donnell is currently the starting center forward for the U.S. National team.
Meharg served on the U.S. National Team coaching staff from 1993-1997. She assisted in the 1994 World Cup, the 1995 Pan American Games and the 1996 Olympics. Meharg was a 2010 USA Under 21 squad coaching staff member. She has worked with International teams in the ages of Under-21 and Under-18.
Over 85 Maryland players have earned spots on the ACC's Honor Roll and 56 Terrapins have been named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association's Academic Squad.
The Terrapins won their seventh national title and fourth in six years Nov. 21 (2005, 2006, 2008, 2010). The Terps won the crown in front of 2,381 fans at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex - the largest crowd in NCAA field hockey history.
- Terps - 