Wake Forest Athletics
Christy Morgan Named Associate Head Field Hockey Coach
5/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
May 10, 2011
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Christy Morgan has been named associate head coach for the Wake Forest field hockey team, as announced by head coach Jennifer Averill.
"Wake Forest is very fortunate to be able to attract a coach like Christy Morgan. She will enhance every aspect of our program, and she will help provide an excellent overall experience for our student-athletes," said Averill. "Her impressive resume is equaled by her character, contagious attitude and dynamic coaching style. Having won a national championship as a coach, she understands both the technical and tactical demands that it takes to reach our expectations."
Morgan will be rejoining the collegiate coaching ranks after stints as a head coach at James Madison from 1991-2000 and at Davidson from 2001-2002. While at James Madison, she guided the Dukes to their only NCAA Championship in 1994.
"One reason I wanted to get back into coaching at the college level was because a job with Wake Forest became available. At Wake Forest, we have the potential to be the best team in the nation, and that's something I want to be a part of," said Morgan. "When I met with the team, I could already feel the passion and the belief they have in one another. All the elements are there for this team to be successful. We will need to prepare for success in order to gain success."
Morgan is replacing Daan Polders who resigned from the position effective on May 1. Polders was the associate head coach on the field hockey staff for the past six seasons and helped the Demon Deacons win the 2006 ACC Championship, reach four NCAA Final Fours and make two appearances in the NCAA Championship game.
"Daan brought a great international perspective to our program, and the student-athletes immensely enjoyed both his coaching and his personality," said Averill. "He facilitated growth in each one of our players, and we wish Daan nothing but success in the next chapter of his professional career."
Before winning a national championship as a coach, Morgan also won three consecutive NCAA National Championships as a player at Old Dominion from 1982-84. She earned the Honda Broderick Award for the nation's best college field hockey player all three of those seasons and was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team all four of her years as a player.
In addition to her collegiate playing career, Morgan also was a member of the U.S. National Field Hockey Team from 1982-90, played for the U.S. World Cup Team in 1983 and 1986 and was an Olympian in 1988.
To go along with her national championship in 1994, Morgan also coached 16 All-Americans and 31 Academic All-Americans while at James Madison.
Since leaving Davidson in 2002, Morgan has remained very active in the game of field hockey. Since 1994, she has owned CirclePlay Inc. where she hosts field hockey camps and clinics and does motivational speaking. CirclePlay operates summer and preseason camps that teach fundamentals, cutting edge concepts and field hockey game strategies.
