The Michigan State Spartans field hockey team is the intercollegiate field hockey program representing Michigan State University. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Michigan State field hockey team plays its home games at the MSU Field Hockey Complex at Ralph Young Field on the university campus in East Lansing, Michigan. Since the field hockey program was established in 1972, the Spartans have won four Big Ten regular-season championships, four Big Ten tournament titles, and have appeared in the NCAA tournament nine times. The team is currently coached by Helen Knull.
| Michigan State Spartans field hockey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Michigan State University |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Head coach | Helen Knull |
| Field | MSU Field Hockey Complex at Ralph Young Field Capacity: 1,500 |
| Location | East Lansing, Michigan |
| Colors | Green and white[1] |
History
editField hockey has been a varsity sport at Michigan State University since 1972.[2] The Spartans have competed as a member of the Big Ten Conference from 1981 to 1988 and again since 1992. From 1989 to 1991, Michigan State played in the Midwestern Collegiate Field Hockey Conference (MCFHC).[3] Although the Spartans had never won a Big Ten championship (either in the regular-season or the tournament) or appeared in the NCAA tournament before 2001, they have found considerable success in the 21st century under the guidance of head coaches Michele Madison (1993–2005), Rolf van de Kerkhof (2006–10), and Helen Knull (2011–present).[2][3] In the new millennium, Michigan State has won four Big Ten regular-season championships (2001, 2003, 2004, and 2009), four Big Ten tournament titles (2002, 2003, 2009, and 2013), and has qualified for the NCAA tournament nine times (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2013).[3][4][5] The Spartans have advanced to the NCAA semifinals twice, in 2002 and 2004.[3][4]
Head coaching records
edit
| Head Coach | Years | Seasons | Overall | Pct. | Best Year | NCAA Berths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikki Baile | 1972–74 | 3 | 14–4–8 | .692 | 1974 (8–2–1) | – |
| Diane Ulibarri | 1975–76 | 2 | 18–4–1 | .804 | 1976 (10–3) | – |
| Samnoa Kajornsin | 1977–79 | 3 | 39–15–8 | .694 | 1979 (17–8–2) | – |
| Nancy Reed | 1980–81 | 2 | 24–17–2 | .581 | 1981 (12–7–2) | – |
| Rich Kimball | 1982–88 | 7 | 43–79–9 | .363 | 1987 (9–8–5) | 0 |
| Martha Ludwig | 1989–92 | 4 | 20–57–5 | .274 | 1989 (6–12–2) | 0 |
| Michele Madison | 1993–2005 | 13 | 155–116–2 | .571 | 2002 (23–3) | 4 |
| Rolf van de Kerkhof | 2006–10 | 5 | 74–34 | .685 | 2009 (18–4) | 4 |
| Helen Knull | 2011–present | 4 | 41–42 | .494 | 2013 (14–10) | 1 |
Head coaching records through the end of the 2014 season[2][3][6]
Awards and accolades
editConference championships
editMichigan State has won four regular-season conference titles, all in the Big Ten Conference.[3]
| Year | Coach | Conference Record | Conference | NCAA Result | |
| 2001 | Michele Madison | 5–1 | Big Ten | NCAA 2nd Round | |
| 2003 | 5–1 | Big Ten | NCAA 2nd Round | ||
| 2004 | 5–1 | Big Ten | NCAA Final Four | ||
| 2009 | Rolf van de Kerkhof | 6–0 | Big Ten | NCAA 2nd Round | |
| 4 Conference Championships 4 Big Ten Championships | |||||
All-Americans
edit| Key | ||
|---|---|---|
|
First-team selection |
Second-team selection |
Third-team selection |
|
|
|
Awards and accolades through the end of the 2014 season[2][3][4][7][8]
Stadium
editMichigan State has played its home games at the MSU Field Hockey Complex at Ralph Young Field since September 2002. Ralph Young Field, which the field hockey program shares with the Spartan track and field team, was originally dedicated in April 1937 during a dual meet featuring Michigan State and the University of Chicago. At the turn of the 21st century, the university renovated the venue to enable it to host the field hockey team as well as its track and field counterpart. Located adjacent to Spartan Stadium, Ralph Young Field has a seating capacity of 1,500 and features an AstroTurf 12 playing surface. Its press box has a roof-mounted camera platform as well as seating for members of the media. Ralph Young Field also has permanent lighting that enables the Spartan field hockey team to play night games.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Brand Reference Guide" (PDF). April 1, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Field Hockey Coaching Records". MSUSpartans.com. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Big Ten Field Hockey Record Book" (PDF). BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ a b c "Field Hockey Postseason History". MSUSpartans.com. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ "Field Hockey Big Ten Championship History". MSUSpartans.com. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ "2014 Field Hockey Standings". BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- ^ "Field Hockey All-Americans". MSUSpartans.com. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ "Eleven Big Ten Players Earn NFHCA All-America Honors". BTN.com. Big Ten Network. December 1, 2014. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- ^ "Ralph Young Field". MSUSpartans.com. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 1 August 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
External links
edit
Media related to Michigan State Spartans field hockey at Wikimedia Commons
