| Team Name: | Michigan State Spartans field hockey |
| University: | Michigan State University |
| Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
| Coach: | Helen Knull |
| Field: | MSU Field Hockey Complex at Ralph Young Field |
| Capacity: | 1,500 |
| Location: | East Lansing, Michigan |
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.
Field hockey has been a varsity sport at Michigan State University since 1972. 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).[1] 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). 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).[2] The Spartans have advanced to the NCAA semifinals twice, in 2002 and 2004.
| Head Coach | Years | Seasons | Overall | Pct. | Best Year | NCAA Berths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikki Baile | 1972–74 | 3 | 14–4–8 | 1974 (8–2–1) | – | |
| Diane Ulibarri | 1975–76 | 2 | 18–4–1 | 1976 (10–3) | – | |
| Samnoa Kajornsin | 1977–79 | 3 | 39–15–8 | 1979 (17–8–2) | – | |
| Nancy Reed | 1980–81 | 2 | 24–17–2 | 1981 (12–7–2) | – | |
| Rich Kimball | 1982–88 | 7 | 43–79–9 | 1987 (9–8–5) | 0 | |
| Martha Ludwig | 1989–92 | 4 | 20–57–5 | 1989 (6–12–2) | 0 | |
| Michele Madison | 1993–2005 | 13 | 155–116–2 | 2002 (23–3) | 4 | |
| Rolf van de Kerkhof | 2006–10 | 5 | 74–34 | 2009 (18–4) | 4 | |
| Helen Knull | 2011–present | 4 | 41–42 | 2013 (14–10) | 1 | |
Michigan State has won four regular-season conference titles, all in the Big Ten Conference.
| 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 | ||||||
| width= | Season | width= | Player | width= | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Maggie Iezzi | ||||
| 1995 | Rayna Hiscox | ||||
| 1995 | Terry Pacheco | ||||
| 1996 | Rayna Hiscox | Second selection | |||
| 1996 | Jill Lusher | ||||
| 1997 | Rayna Hiscox | Third selection | |||
| 1997 | Jill Lusher | Second selection | |||
| 1998 | Melissa Pryor | ||||
| 1999 | Marleen Tuip | ||||
| 2001 | Bridget Cooper |
| width= | Season | width= | Player | width= | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Annebet Beerman | ||||
| 2002 | Sophie Rosmalen | ||||
| 2003 | Alexandra Kyser | ||||
| 2003 | Sophie Rosmalen | Second selection | |||
| 2004 | Annebet Beerman | Second selection | |||
| 2004 | Veerle Goudswaard | ||||
| 2005 | Michelle Huynh-Ba | ||||
| 2005 | Christina Kirkaldy | ||||
| 2007 | |||||
| 2007 | Floor Rijpma |
| width= | Season | width= | Player | width= | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Second selection | ||||
| 2008 | Floor Rijpma | Second selection | |||
| 2009 | Third selection | ||||
| 2009 | Floor Rijpma | Third selection; Second first-team selection | |||
| 2012 | Abby Barker | ||||
| 2013 | Abby Barker | Second selection | |||
| 2014 | Abby Barker | Third selection |
Awards and accolades through the end of the 2014 season[5] [6] [7]
Michigan 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.[8]