Meharg Named Regional Coach of the Year
12/7/2011 7:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Dec. 7, 2011
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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 14th time in her 24-year career and second straight year.
In the 2011 season, Meharg led a young Terrapins squad to its eighth national title and a 19-4 overall record. The Terps entered the NCAA Tournament unseeded and beat seeds Nos. 3, 2, 1 to win their seventh title under Meharg.
They topped No. 12 Iowa in the NCAA First Round, then went on to beat No. 3 Syracuse, 2-1, in overtime to advance to the NCAA Semifinals in Louisville, Ky.
In their NCAA Semifinal game, the Terrapins shut out No. 2 Old Dominion, 4-0. The Monarchs beat the Terps in both regular season meetings and outscored them 9-2 in those two games. With the win, Maryland moved on to its 11th NCAA title game.
After trailing by two with less than four minutes to play, the Terrapins tied the game at the end of regulation on a penalty corner play after the clock had stopped. Jemma Buckley sent in the tying goal. Just over ten minutes into seven-on-seven overtime, Meharg subbed in sophomore Jill Witmer, who streaked down the field and flung in the game-winning goal.
Meharg's overall record of 432-106-9 gives her a winning percentage of .798, which is second among all active coaches. The Terrapins have won five NCAA titles in the last seven years, including the last two, and have advanced to the last four NCAA championship games.
She has coached four Honda Award winners that have won six awards, 49 All-Americans, five four-time All Americans, nine ACC Player of the Year recipients, and 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 that clinched a bid to the 2012 Olympics in London.
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.
Meharg was named Regional Coach of the Year in 1990, '91, '92, '93, '95, '99, '01, '02, '05, '06, '07, '08 and '10.
