Deacon Sports Xtra: Wake Forest Set Up Doton for Success
9/23/2021 9:54:00 AM | Field Hockey
The two-time national champion and 2003 Player of the Year credits head coach Jen Averill as a main factor in post-graduate success.
This piece is a member of a series of stories to celebrate 50 Years of Women's Intercollegiate Athletics at Wake Forest, presented by Blue Cross NC.
With temperatures plummeting toward the freezing mark as the Demon Deacons got ready for the 7:30 p.m. start of the 2002 NCAA Field Hockey Tournament semifinal match against Michigan State in Louisville, Kentucky, ACC Player of the Year Kelly Doton told head coach Jennifer Averill she wasn't wearing cold gear in the game.
"I'm not cold, are you cold?" she asked some of her teammates.
Wake Forest defeated the Spartans 3-0 then two days later blanked Penn State 2-0 to claim its first NCAA Championship — the first of three-straight for the program. It was the first women's team national championship in Wake Forest history. Currently, the field hockey program is the only women's team at Wake Forest that has captured a national title.
"It was freezing in the Michigan State game," Doton said. "I refused to wear cold gear. So the rest of the team didn't wear cold gear. I was stubborn. I had never worn cold gear, even playing up here (the northeast). It's just about that toughness.
"It was a fun, competitive team, but we also enjoyed being around each other. We were all best friends. We had team chemistry and that really led us to that championship run, and the same holds for the following year."
Hailing from Greenfield, Mass., Doton was frequently around the UMass Amherst area, but her first trip away to a college campus as she pondered destinations was Wake Forest.
"Wake was my first time going down to North Carolina," she said. "I remember getting mail from Wake Forest back when I had never heard of them before and didn't know anything about them. The assistant coach at the time was from UMass and had coached me in some camps. I got down, met Jen and fell in love with campus. I loved her coaching style and the team was great.
"I went on four other official visits, but on every one of them I just realized it wasn't as good as Wake Forest. I had to discuss being 12 hours away with my parents, but they supported me. It was the best decision I've made in my life. I absolutely loved my time on that campus and in that community."
Doton decided on Wake Forest and excelled on the field, earning All-American honors three seasons, ACC Player of the Year twice and National Player of the Year in 2003. In 2015, Doton was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.
The 3-2 loss to Maryland in the 2001 National Semifinals is universally cited by Wake Forest players as the turning point in terms of creating the three-peat championship run.
There was a strong bond during the offseason following Doton's sophomore season among teammates like Maria Whitehead, Kelly Dostal, Lynne Shenk and Heather Aughinbaugh.
"They drove the passion that Jen had," Doton said. "We all got on board. We had a chip on our shoulder. We would talk about the polls and where the coaches were ranking us. We felt like we were ranked low, and wanted to show that we were one of the best teams in the ACC and in the country."
The Deacs claimed their first ACC Title in 2002 with a 4-0 victory over Maryland, the same program that had knocked them out of the NCAA Tournament the season before.
"We knew we weren't done," Doton said. "We wanted the NCAA Championship. We knew it was going to be a tough task. We went to Louisville, and it almost felt like a home game because we had so many fans there."
Repeating the following season was a favorite moment for Doton.
"Doing it once is good, but can you do it again?" she said. "We had a great group that year."
While she wasn't on the team for the 2004 championship, the third in a row for Wake Forest, she was still in Winston-Salem and around the team.
"I was training for the national team," Doton said. "I was around and super-excited. I was a little bit jealous that they got to do it at home. I was so happy for the program to get that win."
Doton, now in her seventh season as head coach at Boston College, didn't really even consider that profession until the lead up to the 2008 Olympics.
"It wasn't until late in my national team career that I even thought about coaching," she said. "I've had some great coaching mentors in my life. I wouldn't be in this seat if not for them, with Jen being one of them.
"My full commitment now is to be that good role model to student-athletes that I had. So I want to give back. This also helps with my competitive side. I had really great women role models in my life, and that's what I hope to do in this seat, along with winning championships. I take both those jobs seriously. It's about more than field hockey. It's about life."
The relationship between Averill and Doton is just as strong as ever.
"She's always been one of the closest people in my life," Doton said. "We just had a 45-minute conversation yesterday. I love the family. I've been close ever since I graduated from Wake Forest. Leaving Wake Forest and Jen when I did was really difficult. They're still a big factor in my life to this day.
"We're both head coaches in the same conference, but I still look at her the same way I did years ago — as my mentor. I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't have Jen in my life. She's taught me so much. Not just about field hockey, but in life in general. I was lucky to go to Wake Forest and play for her."
There was plenty of tension for that first Boston College trip to Winston-Salem for Doton to face off against Averill as opposing coaches in 2015.
"When I first came back as a coach, I was nervous," Doton said. "There were butterflies in my stomach, and I still get that nostalgic feeling everytime I pull onto campus. Campus has changed obviously since I've been there, but I have that passion for the university and always enjoy coming back. It's always a joy to go back."
The Deacs came out on top 3-2 after grabbing a 3-0 lead and holding on down the stretch.
"She came up and gave me a hug and shared some encouraging words," Doton said about her post-game exchange with Averill.
Two months later, Boston College bested Wake Forest 4-3 in double overtime in the ACC Tournament. After the game, Averill reached out for a handshake with Doton.
"Oh no, you're going to hug me," Doton said to Averill.
"We hug, even during COVID. We don't shake hands. Handshakes are for professionals at the end of the game, but Jen and I have a different relationship."
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