Maryland’s Missy Meharg builds success
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Missy Meharg might be the most successful college coach you have never heard of. Her Maryland Terrapins have won 602 field hockey games, seven NCAA titles and 26 conference titles between the ACC and Big 10.
Meharg is the only coach in Maryland athletics history to reach the 600-win mark. She is a nine-time National Coach of the Year recipient.
“Six hundred wins reflect the amazing women and coaches as they worked their way to being the greatest in the game and their lives afterward,” Meharg said. “I’m certainly honored.”
Meharg said she started the job after being in “the right place at the right time” 34 years ago. After an All-American career at Delaware, the coach came to Maryland as a graduate student. Maryland’s original coach, Sue Tyler, brought Meharg on as a graduate assistant coach. Three years and a national championship later, Tyler stepped down, leaving Meharg the reins.
“I learned a lot from [Tyler],” Meharg said in a recent telephone interview. “I learned how to coach in big games. [Tyler] kept her players relaxed. I learned less is more.”
The field hockey staff has grown from one full-time assistant and a graduate assistant to a volunteer assistant, Sarah Holliday, to work with assistant coaches Scott Tupper and former player Kasey Tapman Asper and student assistant Dean Schiller.
Meharg described her coaching philosophy as player-driven and equitable. It works. She has recruited numerous future All-Americans, Olympians and international stars.
“I think she runs an incredible program where diversity and international culture is always present, which makes all the foreigners feel welcome and call it home for as long as you are there,” former player Paula Infante said. “Maryland has a great balance between hockey, academics and culture. Missy gives you the confidence and assurance that Maryland will bring the best out of each student-athlete, and that for an international player is very important.”
Chilean Infante was twice named Honda Player of the Year and four-time All-American.
The then No. 8 Terps improved to 12-5 after upsetting No. 2 Michigan 2-1 on Oct. 24. Maryland hosts No. 24 Ohio State on Oct. 29. The Big 10 tournament starts Nov. 4 at Rutgers.
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