For Immediate Release:
16 January 2025
LAKE MARY, Fl. – The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) has announced that Dean College field hockey head coach Megan Gutierrez was one of three coaches selected to receive this year's Under-30 Coaching Award. This is the first time in program history that a head coach has been recognized with this distinction.
Now in her fourth season as Head Coach, Megan Gutierrez has brought the field hockey program from grassroots to championships. The Bulldogs won their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship this year & punched their ticket into the NCAA Division III national tournament. This was also the first GNAC championship Dean College has won with any athletic program.
In addition to their team success, several players took home individual awards. Six players were named to this year's GNAC All-Conference roster, and four players were named to the GNAC All-Tournament team.
Emily Yazzetti (Mahopac, N.Y.) and
Sydnee Ramos (New Bedford, Mass.) were also named to the NFHCA All-Region roster.
Although 2025 was a milestone year for the program, it took time to get to this point. In Coach Gutierrez's first season (2022), the team did not win a single game. However, Coach Gutierrez helped the Bulldogs double their win totals in each of the next three seasons. They took home two wins in 2023, eight wins in 2024, and 16 wins in 2025.
The team's eight wins in 2024 also secured their first postseason berth in program history.
Coach Gutierrez officially adds an Under-30 distinction to an already extensive resumé:
- First GNAC championship in program history
- First NCAA tournament appearance in program history
- GNAC Coach of the Year (2025)
- 26 career wins
- Seven players recognized as GNAC All-Conference & four as GNAC All-Tournament
- Two players recognized as NFHCA All-Region
Gutierrez is joined by elite company in this year's Under-30 class. Erin Matson was named after winning a Division I national championship with the University of North Carolina. Maggie Sohns of Dickinson College is also a member of this year's class.
The Under 30 Coaching Award recognizes coaches under the age of 30 who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and meaningful impact within their programs. This year's recipients represent a new generation already leaving a lasting mark on the sport.
NFHCA Full Release:
HERE
To learn more about Coach Gutierrez and the Dean College field hockey program, please visit any of the respective links above.
For Media Inquiries:
Brett Chaves
Sports Information Director, Dean College Athletics
(508) 541-1826
BChaves@dean.edu
