MANSFIELD, Conn. — The winningest coach in NCAA field hockey history is retiring. Nancy Stevens led UConn to three national titles.
She spent 43 years as a head coach. The school said Friday she will step down on Sept. 1 and be succeeded by her long-time assistant, Paul Caddy.
Stevens finishes her career as the only NCAA field hockey coach to reach 700 wins. She spent the last 30 seasons in Storrs, building UConn into a national power.
The Uconn field hockey team was one of the fall sports who had their season postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. The team released a statement regarding the postponement on its Twitter page on August 12.
Stevens released a statement on UConn's website announcing her retirement:
"After 43 years as a collegiate coach, I have decided to announce my retirement. It has been my great privilege to lead the UConn Huskies for the past 30 years and I look forward to supporting our remarkable student-athletes as their volunteer assistant coach this year. Paul Caddy and Cheri Schulz have supported my efforts for the past twenty years and I am eager to return that loyalty and support as Paul leads our program going forward. I am thrilled that one of the top field hockey minds in the country has been named head coach of the UConn Huskies. Paul will work tirelessly to keep our program among the nation's elite and consistently chase championships in the seasons ahead. I was given opportunities to coach at four amazing institutions: UConn, Northwestern, Penn State and Franklin & Marshall. Working with bright and talented student-athletes has been a source of great joy and for that I will remain incredibly grateful. They have enriched my life immeasurably. We always take time to recognize the invaluable contributions of "the team around the team". Success is the result of a collaborative effort. I will forever be indebted to our terrific support staff and visionary university leaders. Our Alumni burn with a passion for their university and our sport. That has motivated us each day to pursue excellence in all aspects of our program. The future for UConn field hockey couldn't be any brighter and I am so proud to have been a part of its enduring legacy. Go Huskies!"