Field Hockey

Coach Chamberlin enters NFHCA Hall of Fame

PHILADELPHIA - It was a special day for Salisbury University field hockey coach Dawn Chamberlin as she was inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon. The ceremony for the ninth NFHCA Hall of Fame Class took place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, site of this year's NFHCA Convention and Coaches Clinic. 

Chamberlin's presenter was former Sea Gull Lindsey Elliott, a two-time All-American first team selection and a former assistant coach under Chamberlin.

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 were honored alongside Chamberlin.

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 21 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 336-89-8.

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 12 times.

Chamberlin has transformed the Salisbury hockey program into one of the most respected in Division III. The Sea Gulls have won 14 consecutive CAC championships and have posted 21 winning seasons, 15 in a row, under the tutelage of Chamberlin.

Chamberlin's players have also been recognized nationally during her tenure as she has coached 50 Division III All-Americans and 97 NFCHA All-South Region players. The Sea Gulls have also been honored with seven straight CAC Player of the Year awards, 12 overall in the past 13 years.

Chamberlin was nominated for the Hall of Fame by Messiah College coach Jan Trapp.

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.