F&M's Mariano Named Regional Coach of Year

Division III Regional Coaches of the Year

LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall head field hockey coach Melissa Mariano has been named the Dita/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III South Region Coach of the Year as announced late Wednesday morning. This marks the third coach of the year accolade of 2011 for Mariano.

After also earning Centennial Conference (CC) Coach of the Year and Synapse Sports National Coach of the Year honors, Mariano is one of six regional coaches of the year that will be invited to the NFHCA Coaches Recognition Luncheon on Friday, Jan. 13 in Philadelphia, Pa., where the Dita/NFHCA National Coach of the Year will be recognized.

Mariano guided the Diplomats to a school record 17 wins, the program's first-ever CC regular season title and an appearance in the CC title game. F&M then made its first NCAA appearance since 1992, advancing to the Sweet 16 before falling to eventually national runner-up Middlebury, 2-1.