Bucknell Field Hockey Receives NFHCA Division I Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year Award
5/18/2021 12:02:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell field hockey coaching staff was recognized as the NFHCA Division I Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year on Tuesday. It's the first-ever regional Coaching Staff of the Year award for the program, which won the Patriot League Championship and a first round NCAA tournament game in April. The six regional coaching staffs recognized were selected by a majority vote of their regional colleagues.
Led by head coach Jeremy Cook and assistant coach Alexa Ostoich, the Bison put together a six-game winning streak this spring after beginning the season 0-3. The six wins included the program's first Patriot League Championship victory, a 2-1 overtime upset of top-seeded Boston U., and an NCAA Field Hockey Tournament triumph over Atlantic 10 champion VCU, which set Bucknell up for an Elite Eight matchup with No. 2 Michigan.
Bucknell placed four student-athletes on All-Patriot League teams in the spring 2021 season, and two Bison landed on the Academic All-League list. Additionally, four players received All-Tournament status, and senior Kaelyn Long was named the Patriot League Tournament MVP.
Bucknell has seen consistent success since Cook's arrival in 2008. The team has qualified for the Patriot League Tournament in each of Cook's 13 years, and five times Cook has guided the Bison to the title game. With six more victories this season and a 120-116 overall record, Cook is now eight wins away from tying Heather Lewis for the most coaching wins in program history. Cook already sports the best winning percentage of any previous coach that was at Bucknell for more than two seasons. He adds the Mideast Coaching Staff of the Year award to a Patriot League Coach of the Year honor he received in 2014.
Ostoich joined the Bison in January, and her assistance was critical to the Bison's championship run. Ostoich arrived at Bucknell following coaching stints at the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pa. and Shock Field Hockey Club in Glen Mills, Pa. She put together a succesful playing career at Old Dominion from 2015-19, contributing to two Big East Tournament appearances. Ostoich's sister, Catherine, is the head field hockey coach at Central Michigan.Bucknell's coaching staff is now in the running for the NFHCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year award, which will be announced during a live virtual awards show on June 15.
Below is a complete list of each region's Division I Coaching Staff of the Year award recipients:
Mid-Atlantic Region: Rider - Lor Hussong, Gina Carey-Smith, Dan Hussong, Kelly Marks
Mideast Region: Bucknell - Jeremy Cook, Alexa Ostoich
Northeast Region: Maine - Josette Babineau, Michelle Simpson
South Region: VCU - Stacey Bean, Kayla May, Kathi Weidman
North Carolina - Karen Shelton, Grant Fulton, Robbert Schenk
West Region: Stanford - Tara Danielson, Pat Cota, Steve Danielson
