CHANDLER, Ariz. - The National Field Hockey
Coaches Association (NFHCA) announced its ninth Hall of Fame class
and Salisbury University coach Dawn Chamberlin is
one of the six set to be honored as part of the Class of 2008.
Chamberlin will be inducted on Saturday, January 17, 2009, at the
2009 NFHCA Hall of Fame Luncheon in Philadelphia.
"This is an honor. I certainly never expected something like
that," said Chamberlin after learning of her selection. "You think
of the Hall of Fame and you think of something you receive after
you retire. To me it's just a huge honor for my peers to think that
of me and want to put me in the Hall of Fame at this time in my
career."
Chamberlin is in her 22nd year at the helm with the Sea Gulls
where she has won three NCAA Division III national championships
(2003, '04, '05), made 20 trips to the NCAA tournament along with
nine final four appearances and amassed over 300 career victories.
This past summer she was elevated to the position of Assistant
Athletic Director at SU. Chamberlin's current record at Salisbury
is 326-87-8 through the first seven games of the '08 season.
Chamberlin has been distinguished as the NCAA Division III
National Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2004, '05),
named the NFHCA South Region Coach of the Year seven times and
Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year 11 times.
"It's about all the student-athletes I have coached over the
years and all that time and effort and hard work that has helped to
put the Salisbury University field hockey program on the map," said
Chamberlin. "Without them there is no Hall of Fame, there are no
national championships. It really says a lot about what they have
done over the years."
Chamberlin has transformed the Salisbury hockey program into one
of the most respected in Division III. The Sea Gulls have won 13
consecutive CAC championships and have posted 20 winning seasons,
14 in a row, under the tutelage of Chamberlin.
Chamberlin's players have also been recognized nationally during
her tenure as she has coached 48 Division III All-Americans and 92
NFCHA All-South Region players. The Sea Gulls have also been
honored with six straight CAC Player of the Year awards, 11 overall
in the past 12 years.
Chamberlin was nominated for the Hall of Fame by Messiah College
coach Jan Trapp.
"It has always been a battle to compete against Dawn
Chamberlin's teams," said Trapp, who was inducted into the NFHCA
Hall of Fame in 2007. "She and her teams have always
conducted themselves in a very professional manner. I have great
respect for Dawn and her coaching. To me, she is very deserving of
this award."
Trapp is not just one of Chamberlin's peers and counterparts on
the field but also a friend.
"Jan has been in the coaching ranks at the Division III level
for over 35 years. She's a very successful person and I can't thank
her enough for recommending me for this award," said Chamberlin.
"It means a lot to have a rival who respects what I've done and
what I've created here to nominate me. You can't really describe
that in words."
The rest of the NFHCA Hall of Fame Class of 2008 includes two
college coaches; Duke University coach Beth Bozman (Salisbury, Md.,
native) and former University of Iowa head coach Beth Beglin.
The honor is not limited to collegiate coaches as two high school
coaches and one referee will be inducted as well. Wyoming Seminary
(Pa.) coach Karen Klassner and former Villa Duchense (Mo.) coach
Debby Watson and official Betsy Wilson will be honored alongside
Chamberlin.
"If you look at the success the group has had, it's certainly an
honor to be amongst that top group of coaches both at the high
school, collegiate and national level," said Chamberlin of her
fellow Hall of Fame inductees.
Lindsey Elliott, former Sea Gull All-American
and coach, will present Chamberlin on induction day.
"Lindsay was with me for eight years and she had the most
longstanding time with me both as an All-American player and one of
our top offensive players here at the University as well as in the
nation. She was also as a coach here," said Chamberlin. "We have a
great history together. She has meant a lot to me over the years
and it would be an honor for her to introduce me."
Chamberlin is a 1985 graduate of the University of Iowa, where
she was a four-year letterwinner on the highly successful field
hockey team. The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten championship outright
from 1981 to 1983, before sharing the top spot in 1984. The '84
squad finished second in the nation. Chamberlin, Iowa's co-captain
as both a junior and senior, was also a member of the national
indoor championship team and was selected to the All-Big Ten team
during her senior year.
While at Iowa, she also received the Women's Intercollegiate
Athletic Academic Award (1982-1985) and the Physical Education
Academic Achievement Award (1983-1985). Chamberlin earned her
Master of Education from Salisbury in 1987 and her doctorate from
the University of Maryland in 2000.
