GILBERT, Ariz. – The North Carolina field hockey coaching staff has been honored as the 2017 NFHCA Division I South Region Staff of the Year, as announced Thursday by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. The Tar Heel coaching staff is made up of head coach Karen Shelton, associate head coach Grant Fulton, assistant coach Mark Atherton and volunteer assistant coach Kate Kinnear.
UNC was one of five Division I staffs honored. The NFHCA also recognized two staffs from Division II and six from Division III.
North Carolina finished the 2017 season with a record of 18-5 after reaching the final four for the ninth year in a row. In a season when the Tar Heels had just one senior on the roster and no home stadium, they claimed the Atlantic Coast Conference title, the 20th in school history. Assistant Coach Mark Atherton, Head Coach Karen Shelton and Associate Head Coach Grant Fulton
In addition to UNC, NFHCA Division I Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors went to Maryland (Mid-Atlantic), Connecticut (Mideast), Boston University (Northeast) and Michigan (West).
In Division II, the NFHCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year awards went to staffs from Shippensburg (Atlantic) and LIU Post (East).
The NFHCA Division III Regional Coaching Staff of the Year awards went to Centre (Great Lakes), MIT (New England East), Middlebury (New England West), University of Rochester (North Atlantic), Messiah (South Atlantic) and Franklin & Marshall (South).
For more information on the staffs honored, click here.
