Michele Madison Named Regional Coach of the Year
12/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Dec. 5, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Michigan State field hockey head coach Michele Madison was named the West Region Coach of the Year by Dita and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association on Thursday, Dec. 5. Madison led the 2002 Spartans to a 23-3 record, their first Big Ten Tournament title and the program's first appearance in the NCAA Final Four.
Under Madison's guidance, Michigan State set numerous records, including most wins in program history (23) and most goals scored in a single season (91). The Spartans set a program-best 10-game win streak, before topping that with an 11-game win streak. As a team, MSU was ranked among the nation's elite throughout the season, leading the country in winning percentage (.920) for most of the season.
Michigan State captured its first Big Ten Tournament title on Nov. 10, as the Spartans defeated instate rival Michigan, 3-0. The Spartans, making just the second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, defeated Harvard (4-3) and Northeastern (2-1, ps) before falling to eventual national champion, Wake Forest (3-0).
This season, Madison coached two All-Americans, five All-West Regional honorees, five All-Big Ten team members, three Big Ten Players of the Week, two National Rookies of the Week and both Big Ten Tournament co-MVPs.
Madison celebrated several personal milestones this season, recording her 150th career victory on Oct. 12, in a 5-1 win over Indiana. Eight days later, the 10th-year Spartan head coach tallied her 100th victory on the MSU sideline, as the Spartans downed Ball State, 3-0.
Joining Madison on the Regional Coaches list are Maryland's Missy Meharg (MidAtlantic), Lafayette's Ann Gold (Mideast), Northeastern's Cheryl Murtagh (Northeast) and Wake Forest's Jennifer Averill (South). The 2002 Dita/NFHCA Division I National Coach of the Year will be announced at the NFHCA Awards Luncheon to be held on January 11, 2003.
