Durante Named Michigan State Field Hockey Head Coach

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Tamara Durante has been named head coach for the Michigan State field hockey program. She becomes the 10^th head coach in program history.

"Tamara Durante is ready for the opportunity to lead Michigan State field hockey," said J Batt, Michigan State Vice President and Director of Athletics. "She's a widely respected coach across the country with experience as a national coach for USA Field Hockey and her service on the NFHCA Board of Directors. Beyond her 11 seasons of experience on the Spartan sideline, she has a vision to move Michigan State field hockey forward. We look forward to watching her develop the young women in the program both on and off the field."

Durante has spent the last 11 seasons in East Lansing after her arrival as an assistant coach in 2015. After three years as an assistant, Durante was promoted to associate head coach, serving in that role for the last eight seasons.

"It is an honor to be named the head field hockey coach at Michigan State," said Durante. "Having served as associate head coach, I know firsthand how special this community is and what it means to be a Spartan. I want to thank Director of Athletics J Batt and Executive Senior Associate AD Julee Burgess for this opportunity to lead our program forward. We are going to build a culture of grit and integrity that honors the Spartans who came before us as we relentlessly chase excellence in the Big Ten. Go Green!"

Durante has helped guide 11 Spartans to All-Big Ten honors including four first-team selections and seven second-team honorees. In 2024, Durante helped produce the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Carmen Pucheta. In addition to the All-Big Ten accolades, eight Spartans garnered National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I All-Region recognition, with two Spartans earning first team honors.

Throughout her time in East Lansing, Durante has been an active member of the greater field hockey community. She currently serves on the NFHCA Board of Directors as a group representative, a position she has held since 2023.

Durante has made an impact at the national level, coaching within the USA Field Hockey system since 2002 where she has held coaching roles with the U-16, U-19 and Rise National Teams. Durante has been head coach of the USA Field Hockey U-16 team since 2023 and will lead the 2026 U-16 Red team at the 4 Nations Tournament at HOD Valkenswaard in Valkenswaard, Netherlands from March 30 to April 7, 2026.

In 2008, Durante was an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning U-21 squad at the Junior Pan American Games, and in 2014 she was head coach of the U-17 team which won a bronze medal at the Pan Am Youth Olympic Qualifier. She later served as an assistant coach for the 2019 USA Rise team that brought home gold at the 2019 Young Women's National Championship and bronze at the 2021 Young Women's National Championship.

Prior to her time in East Lansing, Durante spent 10 seasons at Yale where she was an assistant coach from 2005-10 and associate head coach from 2010-14, spearheading Yale's recruiting efforts while working with the team's goalkeepers and forwards. Durante tutored five All-Ivy League goalkeeper selections and helped the Bulldogs to an Ivy League title in 2011. From 2001-04, Durante was an assistant coach at Ohio University, helping guide the Bobcats to the MAC Championship and NCAA Tournament in 2001.

A native of Lachine, Quebec, Durante is a graduate of the University of Alberta.

Michigan State University Athletics

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