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Diane Madl became the program's sixth head coach all-time on February 4, 2002 and will embark on her eighth season at the helm in 2009. Madl and her staff have helped to rebuild the Friar field hockey program, enjoying some of the most successful seasons in program history. Since her arrival, she has transformed the field hockey program into a contender in the BIG EAST Conference and put the Friars back on the map among some of the top programs in the country. In what began as a rebuilding process in 2002, Madl has compiled an overall record of 76-67 in seven seasons, including a 44-21 (.677) mark that spans each of the last three campaigns (2006-2008). Madl looks to be a mainstay with the Friar program. Athletic Director Robert G. Driscoll and Providence College President Reverend Brian J. Shanley recently awarded Madl a contract extension through the 2013 season. The recent run of success began in 2006 in what is described as one of the most celebrated seasons in program history. The Friars posted an 18-4 overall record in 2006 and captured the BIG EAST Conference Regular-Season title with a 5-1 mark in league play. Providence's 18 victories during that campaign are tied for second most all-time in program history, while the Friars' five league victories marks a program best. More impressive was the team's 5-3 record vs. nationally ranked opponents. The program quickly found itself among the nation's best and was ranked in the NFHCA Division I National Coaches' Poll for nine-consecutive weeks, including seven-straight weeks in the top-15. At season's end, the Friars earned a final ranking of 11th. Madl was honored as the BIG EAST Conference Coach of the Year, Dita/NFHCA Division I Northeast Region Coach of the Year and Words Unlimited Coach of the Year. Madl wasn't the only Friar to reap the benefits of an impressive season. Lauren Sickel and Rachel Chamberlain became the first Friars since 1997 to claim All-America honors, as both players were named to the third team. Chamberlain was tabbed BIG EAST Conference Goalkeeper of the Year and was one of five players to earn All-BIG EAST honors. Among the five All-BIG EAST selections, three Friars were awarded First-Team status, marking the most First-Team honorees during a single-season in program history. Providence also placed five Friars on the NFHCA All-Northeast Region Team. The ride continued in 2007, as the Friars posted a 14-8 overall record, including a 4-2 mark in the BIG EAST. The Friars advanced to the BIG EAST Championship game for the second-straight season, after defeating No. 11 Louisville, 2-0, in the semifinal game held in Syracuse, N.Y. The Friars dropped a heartbreaking, 1-0, decision to No. 4 Connecticut in the championship game the next day. Last season, the Friars advanced to the BIG EAST Tournament for the third-straight season after posting a 12-9 overall record and a 3-3 mark in conference action. The Friars also posted double-digit victories for the third-straight season. It marks the longest stretch of seasons with double-digit wins since the Friars rattled off six-straight from 1987-1992. Four Friars earned All-BIG EAST and/or NFHCA All-Northeast Region accolades. Nellie Poulin became the ninth Friar in program history, and third player under the direction of Madl, to earn All-America honors as a member of the NFHCA Division I All-America Third Team. Poulin represented New England for the second-straight season at the US Field Hockey High Performance Women's National Championship in the summer of 2009. Poulin showed her worth against the top-collegiate players and members of the US National Team, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with five goals in six games. Jaime Lipski joined Poulin on the New England team in 2009 and earned herself an invitation to U.S. Junior National Camp. Lipski is the first player to earn a Junior National Camp invitation under Madl's tutelage. During Madl's seven seasons on the sidelines, she has mentored three of the 33-year old program's nine All-America selections. She also has helped to develop a total of 21 All-BIG EAST selections and 21 All-Northeast Region honorees. More importantly, her teams have competed just as fiercely in the classroom. Madl has had the privilege of coaching 19 student-athletes who have earned NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad honors a total of 37 times, and 37 players who have been named to the BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team a total of 79 times. Madl, a native of Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, was a three-sport stand-out in field hockey, basketball and softball at Crestwood High School. Upon completion of her high school career, she went on to play field hockey at the University of Connecticut from 1985-88. While at UConn, she helped the Huskies capture the NCAA Division I National Championship in 1985. She was a two-time All-America selection as a junior and senior (1987, 1988) and earned the prestigious Honda Broderick Award upon the completion of her career, as the top collegiate field hockey player in the nation. Madl also excelled in the classroom at Connecticut, where she earned Academic All-America honors and graduated magna cum laude, with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1989. Madl went on to play for the U.S. National Team and competed in a multitude of events for Team USA, including the World University Games (1989), World Cup (1990), Inter-Continental Cup (1989 and 1995) and the Champions Trophy (1995). She reached the pinnacle of her playing career in 1996 as a member of the U.S. National Team that competed in the Olympic Games, held in Atlanta, Georgia. Even with the demands of collegiate field hockey as head coach at Providence, Madl still finds time to give back to U.S. Field Hockey. She remains very active with the Futures Program, having coached the U-19 team in the USA/Canadian Challenge Cup (2005) and assisted the U-16 team that participated in the U.S. Olympic Development Select/Futures Elite International Easter Tournament in the Netherlands (2007). Madl also has served as an assistant coach for USA Field Hockey High Performance Women's National Championship New England Team (2006-2008), and assisted the team at the New England Training Center in 2009 prior to the Women's National Championship. In 2008, she teamed with Boston College Head Coach Ainslee Lamb on the sidelines to help the New England HPTC Team capture the National Title. Madl recently earned her U.S. Field Hockey Level III Coaching Accreditation in 2009, which is the highest coaching accreditation in the U.S. system. With the accreditation, Madl is eligible to work with the U.S. National Team programs. Madl's coaching career began at the University of Maine as an assistant coach in 1993. She remained with the Black Bear program for nine seasons until departing for Providence College. In addition to her success at Providence College and her activity within the circles of U.S. Field Hockey, Madl served as the camp director for Providence College Field Hockey Day Camps in 2003 and 2004. Since then, she has taken ownership of Circle to Circle Field Hockey Camps, LLC., which came to fruition in 2005. During the summer of 2006, Madl added a Team Camp to her Circle to Circle summer circuit and has flourished, becoming one of the top camp organizations in the Northeast. Madl was inducted into the Luzerne County (Pa.) Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, and was inducted into the Pennsylvania State Athletic Hall of Fame on May 18, 2008. She is the daughter of Ruth Ann and David Madl. |
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