Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

COMMENTARY | Longacre Takes Reins of Georgetown Field Hockey

GUHOYAS
Christy Longacre became the new head coach of the Georgetown field hockey team on Jan. 15. She previously spent four years as the head coach at Ball State University.

 

Christy Longacre became the new head coach of the Georgetown field hockey team Jan. 15.

Longacre arrives on the Hilltop after spending four years at Ball State University. Beginning in 2014, she served as an assistant coach before being promoted to head coach in 2016. As a first-year head coach, Longacre led the Cardinals to an 8-11 record and helped them earn their way to the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the first time since 2011.

Longacre, a Bethlehem, Penn. native, earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education and sports management from Old Dominion in 2013 while excelling at field hockey. As a senior, she was named to the All-America First Team by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association and Defensive Player of the Year in the Big East as a senior.

Longacre was also a two-time First Team All-Conference and NFHCA All-Region selection. She competed on the Mid-Atlantic team during the 2010 and 2011 Junior Women’s National Championships.

Georgetown’s athletic department and field hockey team are excited to see how Longacre will improve upon the well-established program developed by her predecessor, former head coach Shannon Soares, who was recently appointed Georgetown’s associate athletics director after coaching the team for four years.

“I am looking forward to serving the hardworking and talented coaches within the department as we continue to work to create a high-quality experience for our student-athletes that prepares them for life well beyond sport,” Soares said.

Longacre’s hiring process was unconventional in that team members had input.

“Our team was given the amazing opportunity to be involved in the hiring process in looking for a new head coach,” sophomore forward Lindsay Getz wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We were able to interview a couple of the potential coaches and provide our feedback to the athletic department. In the end, Christy Longacre accepted the position — she is a phenomenal addition to this program.”

Overall, players said Longacre’s energy and enthusiasm will benefit the team’s culture by fostering a relaxed environment that is nevertheless tightknit, supportive and motivating.

“The atmosphere has been much more relaxed, allowing me to balance both field hockey and academics more efficiently and with less stress. I am looking forward to experiencing a new culture with Christy,” sophomore midfielder Jessica Lagano wrote in an email to The Hoya.

“Since the switch in the coaching staff, our team has definitely experienced a lot of change recently,” Getz said. “We have become closer as a team and our culture has been very positive as we look forward to what the new head coach will bring,”

The Hoyas will enter the 2018 season looking to improve after a 9-10 season under Soares last year and an 8-11 season the year before. The fact that the team’s top three scorers will be returning next season is especially encouraging. Freshman forward Cami Osborne led the team this season with 12 goals, followed by Getz with eight and freshman Neil Van Schaack with seven.

In the 2018 season, the Hoyas will also regain sophomore midfielder Emily Fraser. Fraser was a force in the midfield before suffering a concussion against Longwood University on Sept. 24, starting all eight games before the injury. Fraser was on medical leave the remainder of the season. Fraser transferred to Georgetown after one year at the University of Albany, where she started in all 20 games for the team.

The new coaching staff, culture shift and greater experience could be a new chapter for the Hoyas in the 2018 season.

“While we have only had a week with Christy, my teammates and I appreciate her genuine interest in us as student-athletes. She is passionate about field hockey and jumps right into our workouts with us. I am looking forward to our spring season and where we can grow and improve as a unit,” Getz said.

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