Courtesy of Newberry College Athletics
NEWBERRY — The Newberry College field hockey coaching staff has been named the National Coaching Staff of the Year for NCAA Division 2 by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.
The NFHCA National Coaching Staff of the Year awards were announced Thursday evening at the Hall of Fame Awards Dinner sponsored by AstroTurf at the NFHCA Annual Convention.
Head coach Hannah Dave and assistants Khotsofalo Pheko and Tamsin Bangert led the Wolves to a record setting season, finishing as national runner-up, posting a 20-1 record which included a 20-game winning streak. The Wolves won the South Atlantic Conference regular season and postseason tournament titles, compiled an unbeaten 10-0 record in league play and earned the NCAA Division 2 Tournament national #1 seed.
The Wolves advanced to the national championship game in their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
Dave was named the Synapse National Coach of the Year and earned the SAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and for the third time in her career. She and her staff were also named the NFHCA Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
The Wolves led the nation in scoring average (4.95), scoring margin (+4.2), total goals scored (105), assists per game (3.14), points per game (13.14), total points (276), tied for the lead in total assists (66), finishing second in shutouts per game (0.52) and third in shutouts (11) while setting school records in all those categories.
Over the past three seasons the Wolves have posted a combined record of 49-9 overall and 32-6 conference play with a pair of South Atlantic Conference regular season championships, a SAC Tournament title and a trip to the national championship game.
Dave has a career record of 102-57 in nine seasons after taking over a program that posted a combined 13-55 mark over the first four years of existence. She earned her 100th career win in a 3-0 victory in the SAC Tournament championship game on November 9. The staff also helped several players earn national recognition this season.
Parker Keeler was the NFHCA National Player of the Year, Emma Westbrook was a first team All-America pick, Payton Keeler and Wibien Dahmen were second team All-America selections.