University of North Carolina Athletics
Shelton Honored For Outstanding Season, Career
January 7, 2008 | Field Hockey
Jan. 7, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina field hockey coach Karen Shelton received two prestigious honors over the weekend, recognizing her team's championship season in 2007 and also her storied career.
On Friday at the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) annual conference in Hartford, Conn., Shelton was announced as the 2007 Dita/NFHCA Division I National Coach of the Year. On Saturday, she was inducted into the NFHCA Hall of Fame for her career achievements as a coach.
"The year has been overwhelming and to have it culminate with these honors is really special," Shelton said. "I've known since the summer that I would be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but winning Coach of the Year on top of that made for an amazing weekend."
This marks the fourth time in her career that Shelton has been honored as the national coach of the year. In 2007, she coached the Tar Heels to a 24-0 record, the second undefeated season in program history. Along the way, UNC earned a school-record 16 shutouts, including a 3-0 win over Penn State in the national championship game in College Park, Md., on Nov. 18. She also led the Tar Heels to the 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference championship and was named ACC Coach of the Year for the eighth time in her career.
"The 2007 season was one that I'll never forget," Shelton said. "Our success has led to postseason awards like the Coach of the Year honor, but all of them are because of the hard work of the team. I couldn't have asked for more out of them as a group and they were such a pleasure to coach."
The award is selected by voting of coaches who are members of the NFHCA.
Already a member of the U.S. Field Hockey Association Hall of Fame for her achievements as a player, Shelton was inducted into the NFHCA Hall of Fame for her coaching success. In 27 years as a head coach, all at UNC, she has led her teams to five NCAA titles and 16 Atlantic Coast Conference crowns. Shelton ranks fifth among college coaches in all-time wins with a career record of 448-125-9, and she ranks second among her peers with five NCAA titles. She has led the Tar Heels to 13 final fours in 24 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Shelton has coached 28 first-team All-America selections and four National Player of the Year honorees at North Carolina. At least one Tar Heel has been a member of every U.S. National Team since 1989, and five of Shelton's players were named to the nation's top squad for 2007.
"To be selected for the Hall of Fame after spending my whole career at UNC is a reflection of the great teams and great athletes I've coached here," Shelton said. "I'm proud and privileged to have been able to represent the University of North Carolina and have the success that we've had. This honor speaks to the progress of the program in the past 27 years - I have great memories of all the championships, but also of all the smaller steps and victories along the way. It's been a phenomenal journey."
Also inducted into the NFHCA Hall of Fame on Saturday were Nancy Stevens, head coach at Connecticut; Angela Tammaro, varsity coach at Greenwich Academy in Connecticut; Janice Trapp, head coach at Messiah College; and Nancy Williams, varsity coach at Shore Regional High School in New Jersey.
The Hall now totals 32 members, with classes inducted annually beginning in 2000.
