Decades of Dominance: Maryland Field Hockey celebrates 50 seasons of tradition

Photo courtesy of Eddy Calkins

An NCAA record 28-straight tournament appearances. Eight national championships. Twenty-seven conference championships.

“There’s nothing like raising trophies,” said head coach Missy Meharg.

Maryland field hockey, an established powerhouse in the college field hockey landscape, is celebrating its 50th season this fall. 

Video courtesy of Eddy Calkins

Dorothy McKnight coached the early days of Maryland field hockey. In 1974, the program officially started its first season with Dr. Sue Tyler as head coach.

“They actually recruited me here not just to coach, but that was part of the draw, but to teach. So, when I was first hired, I was not listed as a coach. I was listed as a teacher,” said Dr. Tyler. 

Dr. Tyler also coached the women’s lacrosse team while at Maryland. To this day, she is still the only coach in NCAA Division I history to win a national championship as a head coach for two different sports.

“I love to win,” said Dr. Tyler. “Luck plays a certain part in everything, but not too many people coach two division one sports anymore, so there’s not that opportunity for someone to do that again.”

Meharg, the current head coach, has been in College Park for 37 years, almost three-fourths of the program’s existence. In that time, she has won seven national championships with over 600 career wins. 

Yet, she is rarely thinking about Maryland’s storied history.

“I mean, life changes every hour, doesn’t it? Right now for all of us,” said Meharg. “I couldn’t even begin to tell you what could happen in one year.”

Photo courtesy of Eddy Calkins

Dr. Tyler handed the torch to Meharg in 1987, just after winning the Terp’s first national championship. 

“I just remember taking over the next year thinking ‘Wow this is interesting timing.’ I have a lot of work to do and I need to do it. And the key to that is to recruit athletes,“ said Meharg.

“She was the complete package. She knows the details of the game too. And, she studies the game. She has gone all over the world to study the game,” added Dr. Tyler. “There’s nobody that knows, in my mind, field hockey any better, strategically and technically, than Missy. I think she’s exceptional.”

Photo courtesy of Eddy Calkins

Their relationship, however, goes beyond the pitch.

“I think of her like a little sister. I mean, I feel very close to her, and we went through it all. When you’re an assistant coach in a program that’s as intense, and her intensity has even picked up more,” said Dr. Tyler. 

The Maryland tradition and legacy created by Dr. Tyler and Meharg make it easy for graduate students like Emma Deberdine to come back to Maryland.

“There’s family, culture, sisterhood, a culture that Missy has created here. It’s just I hadn’t seen another college campus that was anything like that,” said midfielder Deberdine.

“It’s a legacy, so I wanted to be a part of that,” added senior midfielder Hope Rose.

Photo courtesy of Eddy Calkins

As the college sports landscape changes with the addition of NIL, both Meharg and Dr. Tyler have concerns for the future.

“How are you going to play field hockey online?” joked Dr. Tyler. “And the whole idea of paying players. It’s just going to change.”

“You have to love NIL and what’s going on with the athletes,” said Meharg. “But when it comes to the big picture, there’s a lot of political issues that need to be resolved right here in September.”

Whatever the future holds, one thing remains constant. Maryland field hockey’s first 50 years is nothing short of excellence.