Laurel Martin, a former Olympian and member of the United States Field Hockey Association Hall of Fame, completed her 10th season as head coach of the Lebanon Valley College field hockey program in 2010. She has presided over an unmatched era of success in LVC field hockey that includes six straight NCAA appearances and 169 wins over the last decade.
The 2010 season season was another record-breaking one for the Dutchmen as they earned the nation's #1 ranking and went to their fourth NCAA Elite Eight in five years. LVC went 19-3, led by one of the nation's most potent offenses that included three All-American forwards in Jocelyn Novak (also named the Commonwealth Conference Co-Player of the Year), Shelly Lobach, and Caitlin Vasey. Novak led the nation in scoring for the second straight year with 39 goals, while Vasey led Division III with 24 assists.
The 2009 season marked LVC's fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance as the Dutchmen went 19-4 overall. Martin mentored a pair of all-American forwards in Lobach and national scoring leader Novak as LVC went to the NCAA Third Round.
It was another successful season for the Dutchmen in 2008 as Martin guided them to a 19-4 record and a berth in the NCAA second round. Martin mentored three all-Americans in the process as she led LVC back to the Commonwealth Conference championship game and into the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight season.
Martin directed LVC to a record-breaking season in 2007, guiding the Dutchmen to their second-straight appearance in the NCAA Division III semifinals after an undefeated regular season, the first in program history. She led the Dutchmen to a 21-2 overall record (a program record for wins), and the team sported two All-Americans and three All-Region picks. Martin was honored as the NFHCA Division III South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for the second straight year.
In 2006, her team captured the Commonwealth Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four. The team also tied the school record for single-season victories after finishing 20-3, and she was honored as the NFHCA Division III South Atlantic Region and Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year.
Martin By the Numbers
As a coach...
- 169-50 career record (through 2010)
- 2 NCAA Final Four appearances
- 4 NCAA Elite Eight appearances
- 6 NCAA Tournament appearances
- 2 Regional Coach of the Year awards
- 1 Commonwealth Conference title
- 7 Commonwealth Conference title game appearances
- 10 Commonwealth Conference playoff appearances
- 3 Commonwealth Conference Players of the Year
- 3 Commonwealth Conference Rookies of the Year
- 15 NFHCA All-America honorees
- 28 NFHCA All-Region honorees
- 1 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship recipient
As a player...
- 1996 U.S. Olympic Team member
- 2004 inductee to the USFHA Hall of Fame
- 69 international caps
- 2 World Cup appearances (1990 and 1994)
- 3 All-America awards at UNC
- 1 National Championship at UNC
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During her nine seasons at the Valley, Martin has led LVC to a stellar 150-47 record, making her the second all-time winningest coach in program history and one of just two coaches, along with Kathy Tierney, to reach 100 wins. Under Martin, Lebanon Valley has reached the NCAA final four twice, had five NCAA Tournament berths, nine appearances in the Commonwealth Conference playoffs, and won the 2004 ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship.
In each of the past five seasons, Martin has coached Lebanon Valley to the Commonwealth Conference championship game. Her 2005 squad received an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, marking the program’s first NCAA appearance since the 2000 season.
Martin has coached numerous outstanding athletes during her tenure at Lebanon Valley. Under Martin's tutelage, 10 players have earned all-America status, as named by the NFHCA. In addition, she has coached 14 players who have received a total of 20 NFHCA All-Region awards.
A 1991 graduate of North Carolina, Martin was a three-time All-American and played on UNC’s 1989 National Championship team. In 1990 she was named team captain and the following year Martin competed in the World University Games (Sheffield, England), the Pan-American Games (Havana, Cuba), and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Auckland, New Zealand). In 1994, she played for the U.S. National Team in the World Cup held in Dublin, Ireland. She returned to the Pan-American Games, this time in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1995 and was a United States Olympian in 1996.
In June 2004, Martin was honored by the United States Field Hockey Association when she was inducted into the USFHA Hall of Fame for her years of service on the U.S. National Team.
Martin coached at numerous clinics and camps and was a nationally rated United States Field Hockey Association Official. Since 1990 she has been a Certified Sport Specific Field Hockey Trainer at both the high school and college levels. Martin has also been a fitness instructor, as well as an AFFA Certified Aerobics Instructor, and is certified in both C.P.R. and kickboxing.
A 1987 graduate of nearby Lower Dauphin (Pa.) High School, Martin has been a member of the United States Field Hockey Association since 1985. In 1987, she was named as the Pennsylvania Mid-State Top Scholar Athlete and was a High School All-American. Martin has served as a motivational spokesperson for both the United States Olympic Committee and the United States Field Hockey Association. She has coached camps or clinics at Elizabethtown College (1998, 1999), University of North Carolina (1991-1998), Duke University (1991), William and Mary College (1996), University of Maryland (1995), and for several high school programs including the Virginia Beach High School All-Star Festival Team (1996, 1997).
From 1990-1992 Martin was a volunteer coach at the University of North Carolina and in 1993 and 1994, she was a camp coach at the Merestead Camp in Collegeville, Pa. In 1996 and 1997, she was a Cape Henry Field Hockey Clinic Administrator in Virginia Beach, Va. and from 1996-1997 was the head field hockey coach for Cape Henry High School. In 1998, Martin was an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Martin resides in Lititz with her two daughters, Kali and Hannah.
