Fairfield University excitedly announced on February sixth that Laura Gebhart from the University of Penn State would be the new field hockey coach. Coach Gebhart most recently coached at Penn State University. Their 2024 season ended with an 8-9 record.
That is not Gebharts only coaching gig. She started her career coaching at Mannheim Central High School where she was able to win coach of the year for her league in 2017.
Her first college coaching job was in 2018 when she was the volunteer assistant coach at the University of Vermont.
Gebhart would then become an assistant coach for Bryant University in 2019, where after a season she was named the head coach for the 2020-2021 season leading Bryant to a 2-17 record.
Lastly, her most recent coaching stint was her four years as a coach for Penn State. She had a 48-27 record, winning at least 14 games in two of those seasons. She also was able to make the NCAA Tournament in two seasons while coaching there.
Gebhart also played four years at Penn State from 2011-2015, where she was a 4-year starter and a 4-time All-American, and also achieved honors of being named on the first team Big-Ten all four years at Penn State.
She also helped the Pittatiny Lions win 64 games over her tenure while they also won the Big Ten two times over her four year playing career.
After her time at Penn State, she was named to the U.S. Women’s National Field Hockey Team where she was named the captain of the 2013 National Team.
Gerbhart has a solid Stags team to work with. The Stags went 12-9 and won the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship in 2024. They defeated Rider University in the Semi-Finals and then they defeated Wagner College in the NEC Championship. They did lose to the University of Delaware in the first round of the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament 2-1, showing room for improvement.
Junior Konni Hoffman led the team with 19 points and 7 goals. She is going to be a large help to
Genhart’s first season at Fairfield as she will be a leader.
Junior Alice Pifferi also had a stellar 2024 season with 16 points and she led the team with 10 assists.
Junior Pilar Mengotti, Junior Rylee LaLoup, and Sophomore Catalina Ness all scored over 10 points last season and will all contribute a lot to Coach Gebhart’s first season.
Fairfield has not had a losing season since 2017 and the addition of Gebhart, a former All-American will give the Stags the edge they need to win the NEC again and hopefully win the NCAA Tournament.
The program is embarking on an exciting new chapter with the hiring of Laura Gebhart as head field hockey coach at Fairfield University. She brings plenty of coaching experience to the Stags, having had successful stints at three other universities. Her experience as a standout player at Penn State and an international competition strengthens her capacity to coach and guide student-athletes.
Gebhart’s leadership as she starts the Fairfield University Field Hockey head coaching job will be centered on upholding the program’s solid foundation and encouraging her athletes to have a growth-oriented and competitive mindset.
Under her leadership, Fairfield’s field hockey team is set to achieve greater success thanks to her commitment to both physical and personal growth.
Gebhart’s term is expected to provide energy, experience, and a dedication to excellence, supported by the institution and its community. As the team sets out on this new adventure, the following season will be thrilling to watch.
Leave a Reply