This photograph features a women's field hockey game between Dickinson College and Messiah College. Eleanor Grant, a sophomore, is the girl in the white uniform who is tussling for the ball. Jody Koontz, a junior, is the girl in the white uniform who is standing directly over Grant's left shoulder. This game was on the field hockey/lacrosse field which is located at the corner of West Pomfret Street and Belvedere Street on the Dickinson College campus. This game was played on September 27, 1979 and Messiah defeated Dickinson 2-1. Jamie Karp scored the only goal for the Red Devils. Kathleen Barber was the head coach of the 1979 Field Hockey team and LeeAnn Wagner was her assistant. The 1979 Field Hockey team posted a 4-5-3 record.
Until 1982, the field hockey team had little success. In 1980, the team had a 4-6-3 record and was coached by Kathleen Barber and Candis Russell. By 1982, the team finished fifth among Division III schools in Pennsylvania with a 9-4-1 record. Furthermore, this team finished third in the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference, otherwise known as the MAC Conference. The MAC Conference for most of the time that Dickinson competed in field hockey as a member consisted of the following colleges and universities: Albright, Delaware Valley, Drew, Elizabethtown, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Haverford, Johns Hopkins, Juniata, Lycoming, Lebanon Valley, Moravian, Muhlenberg, Scranton, Susquehanna, Swarthmore, Ursinus, Western Maryland, Widener, and Wilkes.
In 1984, Carol Cox became the new head coach of the field hockey team and led the Red Devils to a 4-9 record. 1985 was a promising year for the Red Devil field hockey squad. Although the team only posted a 7-10-1 record, the team qualified for the MAC playoffs and won the Southeast Division Championship. By 1986, the team had a 7-7 record. Despite this record, 1986 was a special year for Sonya Church, the goalie and the co-captain of the field hockey team. Church had a spectacular season and was named a MAC All-Star. Church was an All-American nominee as well. In 1987, the field hockey team was 8-6-2. The highlight of this season was beating Elizabethtown College, an elite Division III field hockey team and eventual MAC Champions. Laurie Herbison was named a MAC All-Star. The head coach of the Devils during the 1987 season was Eileen Sharp.
For the next few seasons, the field hockey team had little success. In 1988, the team had a 3-12-1 record and was 0-5-0 in the MAC. On a bright side for the Devils, Denise Shotwell was an ALL-MAC pick and Suzanne Fuller was named MVP for the Devils. Like the 1988 season, the 1989 season was a dismal year for the Red Devils as the team posted a 2-15 record. By 1990, things gradually began to turn around for the Devils. Under coach Eileen Sharp, the team had a 6-7-2 record and was 1-3-1 in the MAC. In 1991, the Devils had a 2-14 record under new head coach Kelly Hart. In a remarkable reversal, the 1992 season was perhaps the most successful season in Dickinson Field Hockey history. The team had a 12-1-2 record and was ranked second in the state among Division III colleges. The team also won the MAC Southwest Conference title. Seniors Nancy Paternotte and Christina Perkins were named to the Division III Senior All-Star game that season. Although not as successful as 1992, the 1993 squad had a 9-7 overall record and were 6-3 in the Centennial Conference.
1993 was the first year the Devils played in the Centennial Conference. This conference was created in 1993 and consists of Dickinson, Gettysburg, Johns Hopkins, Ursinus, Haverford, Swarthmore, Washington College, Western Maryland, Swarthmore College, and Bryn Mawr. In 1994 the Devils made the ECAC playoffs, due mostly to their 12-5 overall record and their 7-2 record in the Centennial conference. The following season, the Devils had a 9-9 record and Laura Znotens made first team All Centennial Conference. 1994 was the last time Dickinson has had a winning record. In 1996, the team was 3-14 and in 1997, under head coach Kelly Hart, the team was 6-11.
Josh Frederick