FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2015
RINDGE, N.H. – Franklin Pierce Director of Athletics Bruce Kirsh has announced that Zoe Adkins has been named the third head coach of the University’s field hockey program. A familiar face for the Ravens, Adkins spent the 2014 season as the program’s graduate assistant coach.
“I am absolutely honored to be at the helm of the Franklin Pierce field hockey program and would like to thank Mr. Kirsh for this amazing opportunity,” said Adkins. “We have a very dedicated group of student-athletes who inspire and motivate me to excel in every aspect of coaching. I am confident in the continuing development of the program and we will be looking to make an immediate impact in the Northeast-10 Conference this fall.”
Rindge will be the first collegiate head-coaching stop for Adkins, who spent last year as the graduate assistant coach under former head coach Meighan Allison, who departed after nine years at the helm. Adkins’ arrival coincided with a resurgent 2014 squad, which used a strong second half to finish with an 8-10 record, eclipsing the team’s win total from the 2012 and 2013 seasons combined.
Under Adkins’ tutelage, several underclassmen helped rejuvenate the team’s attack, none more than freshman forward Carly Canavan, who became the first Raven ever to tally 10 goals in a season before her junior campaign. At the other end of the field, freshman goalkeeper Meaghan Williams keyed a reinvigorated defensive effort, as the team posted its lowest goals-against average since 2011.
“It’s always exciting to give a young coach their first opportunity at a head coaching job, and Franklin Pierce has a strong history of success with first-time head coaches,” Kirsh said. “Coach Adkins already has the respect and admiration of the program’s student-athletes, and I look forward to what she can accomplish with the group in the coming years.”
A four-year letterwinner at the University of Maine, Adkins missed just two games in her career with the Black Bears, as she finished with 76 games played and tallied 11 goals and 12 assists for 34 points along the way. She split time between the back line and the midfield in Orono and produced nearly all of her career offense over her final two seasons in black and blue.
Adkins -- who originally hails from Coquitlam, British Columbia -- capped her career with 4-1-9 in her senior season in the 2012, on her way to hauling in Longstreth/NFHCA All-Region Second Team and America East First Team All-Conference honors, in addition to a spot in the NFHCA Senior Game.
As a freshman in 2009, she earned American East All-Rookie Team accolades. Maine advanced to the postseason in each of Adkins' four years on campus, but lost in the semifinal round of the America East Championship each time. After the conclusion of her player career, she spent one year as an assistant coach with the Black Bears before moving on to Franklin Pierce.
Already on campus, Adkins will embark on her first season at the helm of the Ravens on Sept. 5, when the team plays host to Dowling at noon at Sodexo Field.
ABOUT THE NORTHEAST-10
The Northeast-10 Conference is an association of 15 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,500 student-athletes.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
.@FPUfieldhockey has a new coach, but it's a friendly face. Zoe Adkins takes the reins. http://t.co/a8o8PFDzJ6 #RavenNation #Allin #NE10
— FPU Ravens (@FPUathletics) July 21, 2015
