WASHINGTON - Former University of Maryland standout and U.S. Women's National Team member Anna Dessoye has been named an assistant coach for American University field hockey, as announced by head coach Steve Jennings. Dessoye is a two-time All-American, and played at various levels for Team USA for five years.

"We are incredibly excited to add Anna to our coaching staff," said Jennings. "Her successes as a player both at the collegiate and international level are extraordinary, and her commitment to hard work and excellence will undoubtedly assist the players in our program to raise their performance to another level. We can't wait to get back to playing and look forward to Anna's contribution to our journey."

Dessoye appeared in 59 international matches for the USWNT, and was part of the bronze medal-winning Pan American team in 2019. She was first joined Team USA in 2016 after playing for the U-21 squad in 2014 and 2015.

"I'm excited to be back in the DMV area and extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the AU coaching staff," Dessoye said. "I look forward to bringing my skill set to the team this fall.

"Coach Jennings has built an incredible program at American University and I'm truly honored to be working alongside one of the best coaches in the NCAA. Both he and Kristin will be great mentors for me as I transition from player to coach at the collegiate level."

While at Maryland, Dessoye played in 94 games for the Terrapins, starting in 89 of them from 2012-15. She played her first two years in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and last two in the Big Ten Conference, allowing her to boast both ACC and Big Ten Championships across her career. She also helped Maryland to two NCAA Final Four appearances and picked up First Team All-American and First Team All-Region honors. She scored more than 100 career points, and became the sixth player in program history to reach 50 career assists at Maryland.

While waiting out the uncertainty of her USWNT future during COVID, Dessoye gave lessons to youth field hockey players and served as a volunteer assistant coach for Wyoming Area High School. Since 2013, she has been a camp coach at a number of universities including Maryland, Princeton and Lafayette.

Dessoye graduated from the University of Maryland in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in community health.

For the latest on American University Field Hockey, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_FieldHockey) and Instagram (@aufieldhockey).