American University

Head Coach Steve Jennings will enter his 27th season at the helm of the American University field hockey program in the fall of 2025. One of the most decorated field hockey coaches in the country, he holds an overall record of 316-173 (.646), including a staggering 119-27 (.815) in the Patriot League. 

On a national level, Jennings' involvement with the Women’s National Team spanned a 13-year period. He was a part of key tournaments including the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing–where the team finished 8th, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro–where they finished 5th, the 2002 World Cup in Perth, Australia–a 10th place finish, the 2006 World Cup in Madrid, Spain–a 6th place finish, two Pan American Games–where the team won a silver and gold medal, and finally the 2016 Champions Trophy in London where the team won bronze.

Throughout his illustrious career, Jennings has led the Eagles to 12 undefeated conference seasons, 13 Patriot League titles and 13 NCAA Tournament berths. Among those postseason runs were two Elite Eight appearances in 2004 and 2005.

In 2018, he became one of only 27 coaches in Division I field hockey history to reach 250 career victories. As of 2022, he ranked 21st all-time among Division I field hockey coaches with his .651-win percentage, and 23rd with 293 wins. He was also 45th all-time among all divisions for his total wins.

In 2023, Jennings earned his 300th career win, a feat only 19 other coaches of the sport have reached before him. Heading into the 2025 season, Jennings’ sits at a .646 in win percentage, he sits at ninth amongst active coaches and 22nd all-time. His 316 wins have him sitting at seventh most wins by a head coach amongst active coaches and 17th most all-time.

Jennings earned his 12th Patriot League Field Hockey Coach of the Year honor in 2024 after guiding the Eagles to another undefeated Patriot League regular season and their 14th regular season win.  American went 12-8 through the regular season, including a perfect 6-0 in conference play, en route to a Patriot League Championships game appearance against No. 2 seed Lafayette. The Eagles took a 1-0 lead with less than 10 minutes to play in regulation, but the Leopards forced overtime and American ultimately fell, 2-1.

The Eagles also continued to dominate the post-season awards, highlighted by graduate student Bryn Underwood being selected to both the NFHCA Senior Team and NFHCA First Team All-Region along with being named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year for the third time in her career. Freshman Olivia Morraye was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year. Agustina Roffo and Tayla-Jade Weiss joined Underwood on being named to First Team All-Patriot League while Jordan Reicher was named to the Second Team All-Patriot League. Roffo was also named as an NFHCA All-Region selection (Second Team).

One of the most well-balanced programs in the country, the Eagles also had success in the classroom with Bryn Underwood being named Patriot League Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year and was joined by Roffo and Weiss on the Academic All-League team. Three Eagles, Ashley Huddleston, Kaleigh Missimer, and Underwood, Weiss were also selected as NFHCA Scholars of Distinction. A total of 20 Eagles made the NFHCA National Academic Squad while the team earned its 22nd consecutive NFHCA National Academic Team Award.

Throughout his quarter century at AU, Jennings has mentored a multitude of student-athletes to success on nearly every level, including the 2008 Junior Pan-American Games Player of the Tournament, Christine Fingerhuth. Jennings has guided 18 players to 25 All-America selections, including 2019 graduate Rafaela Rubas who also closed her illustrious career as one of three players in program history to earn four consecutive All-Region honors along with Magdalena Aguilar (1999-02) and Camila Infante (2003-06). Noor Coenen joined that illustrious group with her fifth consecutive All-Region selection and third All-American honor. In all, the Eagles have amassed 91 All-Region selections during the Jennings era, most recently with Bryn Underwood, and Agustina Roffo being recognized.

The list of accolades continues to grow on the conference level, with 10 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year awards, 12 Defensive Players of the Year, and four Goalkeepers of the Year. 10 Eagles have also been selected as PL Rookies of the Year, five of which went on to earn either Offensive or Defensive Player of the Year later in their career. Since joining the Patriot League in 2001, Jennings has helped guide his players to a staggering 109 All-Patriot League First and Second Team awards.

For all their success on the field, Jennings’ student-athletes have been equally successful in the classroom. Since 2003, 12 of Jennings' teams earned one of the top-five GPA's in Division I field hockey, including three seasons with the top GPA in the country - 2011 (3.55), 2013 (3.58), 2015 (3.65), and 2023 (3.77).

In AU's 23 seasons as a member of the Patriot League, the Eagles have earned 14 Patriot League Field Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, including six consecutive selections with Grace Wilson (2014), Natalie Konerth (2015, 2016), Maura Jacobs (2017, 2018), and Bryn Underwood (2023, 2024). Konerth is also one of two Eagles to be selected as a CoSIDA Academic All-American along with Heidi Hershberger.

As his teams and student-athletes continued to collect accolades on both the conference and national level, so too did Jennings as he was named the 2004 NFHCA Division I Coach of the Year, was inducted into the NFHCA Hall of Fame in 2012, and named an Honorary Member of the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014. Jennings was also selected as the U.S. Junior National Team head coach in 2012 and served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women's National Team six times. He holds a Level III coaching certification - the highest level for field hockey in the U.S. - and in May 2008 became the first U.S. citizen to be awarded the Title of Federation International de Hockey (FIH) Coach - High Performance.

YEAR-BY-YEAR

2024: (12-8, 6-0 PL) – The Eagles finished first in the Patriot League regular season, going undefeated in conference play and earning hosting rights for the Patriot League Tournament, advancing past Boston University, before falling to No. 2-seeded Lafayette in overtime in the final … Jennings earned his 12th Patriot League Coach of the Year Award while Bryn Underwood became the program’s 14th PL Scholar Athlete of the Year, her second consecutive honoring … The Eagles went undefeated through the Patriot League for the 12th time in program history … Graduate Student Bryn Underwood earned Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year and Patriot League Field Hockey Scholar Athlete of the Year … She also earned NFHCA First Team All-Region … She was joined Agustina Roffo on the Second Team … Freshman Olivia Morraye was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year … Underwood and Weiss were joined by Tayla-Jade Weiss as selections to PL All-League First Teams while Jordan Reicher was named to the Second Team … Underwood and Weiss and Roffo were all also named to the Academic All-League team as well … The Eagles placed 20 on the NFHCA National Academic Squad and had three NFHCA Scholars of Distinction … They also named 22 to the PL Academic Honor Roll … The Eagles earned the program’s 22nd consecutive NFHCA National Academic Award.

2023 (11-8, 6-0 PL) – PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS … NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND … Jennings earned his 11th Patriot League Coach of the Year Award while Bryn Underwood became the program’s 13th PL Scholar Athlete of the Year … The Eagles went undefeated through the Patriot League for the 11th time in program history … Senior Charllene Boshoff earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and her first All-American honor with a selection to the third team … She also earned her first All-Region selection … She was joined by Bryn Underwood and Tayla-Jade Weiss on the Second Team … The trio, of Boshoff, Weiss, and Underwood, joined by Emilia Winkler, were selected to PL All-League teams with Boshoff and Weiss on the first team and Underwood and Winkler honored to the Second Team … Underwood and Weiss were both also named to the Academic All-League team … Tayla-Jade Weiss was also selected as the MVP of the Patriot League Tournament. The Eagles earned a top-five GPA in the nation (3.77) and earned the program’s 21st consecutive NFHCA National Academic Award.

2022 (9-7, 4-2 PL) – The Eagles finished second in the Patriot League regular season, advancing to the Patriot League Tournament falling in penalty strokes to No. 3-seeded Lehigh in the semifinals … Bryn Underwood was named PL Goalkeeper of the Year for the second year in a row and her third major award … Merel Dupont and Underwood were both named to PL All-Academic Squad while Federrica Turina Dellamaggiore, Charllene Boshoff, and Underwood earned PL First Team All-League and Lotta Curanz was named to second team All-League … Underwood and Turina Dellamaggiore were each named to NFHCA All Region Teams, First- and Second-Team respectively …  The Eagles placed 13 on the NFHCA National Academic Squad and had four NFHCA Scholars of Distinction … They also named 17 to the PL Academic Honor Roll.

2021 (13-4, 6-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND ... Jennings earned his 10th Patriot League Coach of the Year award while Bryn Underwood became the program's third PL Goalkeeper of the Year ... Aidan Rossman was selected for her second consecutive Patriot League Field Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor ... The Eagles went undefeated through the Patriot League for the 10th time in program history ... Senior Noor Coenen earned her third All-America honor with a selection to the second team ... She also earned her fifth consecutive All-Region selection, and third First Team selection ... She was joined by Georgia Davies and Bryn Underwood on the Second Team ... The three were also selected to the First Team All-Patriot League while Aidan Rossman and Gaby de Kock earned Second Team honors ... Charllene Boshoff was named Patriot League Tournament MVP ... Rossman, Underwood, and Josie Formica all made the All-Patriot League Academic Team.

2020-21 (4-1, 4-1 PL) -- The Eagles finished second in the Patriot League regular season during the shortened spring slate before falling to eventual PL Champion Bucknell in penalty strokes during the PL Tournament semifinal in Boston, 2-1 ... Senior Noor Coenen earned her second consecutive All-American award with a selection to the second team ... She was also selected to the First Team Mid-Atlantic All-Region along with classmate Gaby de Kock (Second Team) and junior Georgia Davies (Second Team) ... American dominated the Patriot League postseason awards, with Coenen earning her second consecutive Offensive Player of the Year nod ... Davies was voted the Defensive Player of the Year, and freshman goalkeeper Bryn Underwood was selected as the Rookie of the Year ... Junior Aidan Rossman became the Eagles' 11th Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year ... This was the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2008 that AU collected four of the six Patriot League postseason major awards ... de Kock earned her first All-Patriot League honor with a selection to the Second Team ... Junior Josie Formica also earned her first postseason award with an Academic All-Patriot League nod.

2019 (13-6, 6-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT OPENING ROUND ... The Eagles earned their 11th Patriot League regular season and tournament title after an undefeated conference season ... Entered the NCAA Tournament ranked 23rd in Division I ... Fell to #25 Fairfield, 3-1, in the NCAA Opening Round ... Junior Noor Coenen became the program's 19th All-American with a selection to the second team ... Coenen was also selected as the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year - the program's third consecutive honoree after Rafaela Rubas was named in 2017 and 2018 ... Coenen tied Patriot League single-game records for goals (3) and points (6), and two-game records for goals (4) and points (9) en route to being named Tournament MVP.

2018 (9-9, 4-2 PL) -- Team finished second in the Patriot League regular season and advanced to the PL Championship, losing to No. 24 Boston University, 2-1 ... Senior Rafaela Rubas became the 19th All-American in program history, and the third player to earn four consecutive All-Region honors ... Sophomore Noor Coenen earned second consecutive All-Region selection ... Rubas earned second consecutive Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year award ... Senior Maura Jacobs earned second consecutive PL Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and first career PL Goalkeeper of the Year honor.

2017 (13-8, 5-1 PL) -- Eagles were second in the Patriot League regular season before falling to Bucknell in penalty strokes during the PL Tournament semifinal, 2-1 ... Junior Rafaela Rubas was selected as Offensive Player of the Year and freshman Noor Coenen earned Rookie of the Year ... Junior Maura Jacobs earned the program's fourth consecutive PL Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.

2016 (14-7, 5-1 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND ... AU made its 10th NCAA appearance after beating Boston University on the road, 1-0 ... Advanced through Kent State, 2-1, into the First Round where the Eagles fell to No. 1 Duke, 3-0 ... Natalie Konerth earned the team's only PL major award with her second consecutive Scholar-Athlete of the Year selection along with CoSIDA Academic All-America (Third Team) ... Konerth also named PL Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year across all sports.

2015 (12-7, 5-1 PL) -- Eagles made it back to the PL Championship but fell to Boston University, 2-1 ... Kate McBeath earned the program's first PL Goalkeeper of the Year award ... Rafaela Rubas selected as Rookie of the Year ... Natalie Konerth earned the team's second consecutive PL Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.

2014 (9-9, 4-2 PL) -- American fell to eventual PL Champion Boston University in the PL semifinal, 3-1 ... Grace Wilson named All-American and PL Defensive Player of the Year ... Angela Virtu was voted Rookie of the Year ... Wilson began a string of five consecutive PL Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards for AU.

2013 (15-6, 6-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND ... AU returned to the NCAA Tournament after overpowering Boston University in the PL Championship, 3-0 ... Defeated Quinnipiac, 3-1, in the Play-In Game before falling to Maryland in the NCAA First Round, 4-1 ... Shelly Montgomery voted to Second Team All-America and PL Offensive Player of the Year ... Jennings earned ninth PL Coach of the Year honor.

2012 (10-10, 4-1 PL) -- Eagles shut out Bucknell, 4-0, in the PL semifinal but fell in overtime to Lafayette in the championship game, 2-1 ... Gina Hoffman was selected as PL Defensive Player of the Year and Julie Fosseprez was named Rookie of the Year.

2011 (9-8, 4-1 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS ... AU earned the regular-season title but fell in the PL semifinal to Bucknell, 3-2 ... Tatum Dyer named PL Defensive Player of the Year and Jennings was once again selected as PL Coach of the Year.

2010 (18-4, 5-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND ... American earned its eighth consecutive NCAA berth after victories over Lafayette, 6-2, in the PL Championship, and Kent State, 2-1, in the NCAA Play-In Game ... Team came up just shy of a third Elite Eight appearance, though, after falling in a stroke off to UConn, 3-2 ... Christine Fingerhuth selected to First Team All-America and earned her second consecutive PL Offensive Player of the Year award ... Anne van Erp named to All-America Third Team ... Jennings named PL Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his career.

2009 (12-9, 4-1 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND ... The Eagles earned their seventh consecutive PL title with a 2-0 win over Lafayette ... A 2-1 win over Lock Haven during the Play-In Game advanced AU into the NCAA First Round where the team fell to Maryland, 6-1 ... Anne-Meike de Wiljes named to Second Team All-America ... Christine Fingerhuth and Anne-Meike de Wiljes were selected as Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively ... Jennings voted for his sixth career and fifth consecutive PL Coach of the Year.

2008 (13-8, 5-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND ... AU returned to the NCAA First Round with wins over Bucknell, 5-2, in the PL Championship and Lock Haven, 2-0, in the Play-In Game ... Fell to Wake Forest, 7-1 ... Irene Schickhard became fifth Eagle to earn First Team All-America while Christine Fingerhuth was selected to the third team ... Eagles once again nearly sweep post-season awards with the PL Offensive Player of the Year (Irene Schickhardt), Defensive Player of the Year (Anne-Meike De Wiljes), Rookie of the Year (Tatum Dyer), Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Irene Schickhardt), and another PL Coach of the Year award for Jennings ... Fingerhuth earned Junior Pan-American Games Player of the Tournament award.

2007 (16-5, 5-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA PLAY-IN GAME ... Eagles defeated Lafayette, 3-1, for fifth consecutive PL title ... Fell to Ohio in the NCAA Play-In Game in double-overtime, 3-2 ... Denise Infante earned First Team All-America honor ... Jennings earned fourth career and third consecutive PL Coach of the Year nod ... Denise Infante voted Defensive Player of the Year.

2006 (14-7, 5-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT ... AU continued its PL title run with fourth consecutive finish, beating out Holy Cross in the final, 5-3 ... Eagles fell to Wake Forest, 5-0, in NCAA Tournament First Round ... Both Camila and Denise Infante earn third consecutive All-America honors (second team) ... Irene Schickhardt also earned an All-America honor (third team) ... Mauren Daniel earned second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year while Heidi Hershberger was selected as PL Scholar-Athlete of the Year and CoSIDA Academic All-American (First Team) ... Jennings earned third career and second consecutive PL Coach of the Year award.

2005 (20-2, 4-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT ... Team made another Elite Eight appearance after defeating Holy Cross in the PL Championship, 4-2, and Penn State in the NCAA Round of 16, 3-2 ... The Eagles were thwarted again, though, by Maryland, 3-0 ... Javiera Villagra and Camila Infante repeated as First Team and Second Team All-Americans, respectively ... Maureen Daniel also earned Second Team All-America ... Infante selected for second consecutive PL Offensive Player of the Year award while Maureen Daniel earned both Defensive Player and Scholar-Athlete of the Year ... Irene Schickhardt voted PL Rookie of the Year ... Jennings earned second PL Coach of the Year.

2004 (19-3, 5-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT ... NFHCA DIVISION I COACH OF THE YEAR ... AU shut out Colgate, 3-0, in the PL title game to earn a second consecutive berth into the NCAA Tournament ... Advanced into the program's first Elite Eight after defeating Iowa, 2-1, before falling to Maryland, 2-0 ... Javiera Villagra (First Team) and Camila Infante (Second Team) earn All-America honors ... Infante also selected as PL Offensive Player of the Year and Maggie Hall became the second consecutive Eagle to earn PL Rookie of the Year.

2003 (17-4, 6-0 PL) -- PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ... NCAA TOURNAMENT ... The Eagles defeated Holy Cross, 1-0, for the program's first PL title ... Advanced into the NCAA Tournament with a 4-1 win over Quinnipiac in the CCA Play-In Game ... Lost to Duke in the First Round, 3-1 ... Javiera Villagra became the third AU All-American in field hockey (second team) ... American nearly swept the PL major awards with the Defensive Player of the Year (Laura Miller), Rookie of the Year (Camila Infante), Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Laura Miller), and Jennings earned his first PL Coach of the Year award.

2002 (9-9, 4-2 PL) -- Kate Finn and Magdalena Aguilar earned the program's first Patriot League major awards as the League's Defensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year, respectively ... Eagles finished third in the PL regular season before falling to Holy Cross in the PL semifinal, 1-0.

2001 (7-10, 4-3 PL) -- AU finished third in the Patriot League in their first season with the conference ... The Eagles advanced into the PL Tournament but were knocked out in the semifinal by Lafayette, 1-0.

2000 (10-7, 1-4 CAA) -- In its final season in the CAA, American closed in fifth during the regular-season slate.

1999 (8-8, 1-4 CAA) -- Eagles finished fourth in the regular season ... The team fell in penalty strokes to Richmond, 3-2, during the CAA Tournament First Round.

AS A PLAYER
Before coaching at the highest level, Jennings was among some of the elite field hockey players in the U.S., playing for the U.S. Men's National Team from 1991-99. During that time, he participated in over 90 international test matches and was invited to represent the U.S. in the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta where he served as the team's vice-captain. He also helped the team to a bronze medal at the 1994 Pan American Games in Mar Del Plata, Argentina.

Updated 24 April 2025