Gillern Joins Field Hockey Staff; Tigers Ranked No. 13 In Preseason

The Princeton field hockey team has once again dipped into the University of Iowa program to fill a coaching vacancy. The last time the Tigers did this, it worked out pretty well.

Pattie Gillern, a 2003 Iowa graduate whose resume includes a Division II national championship as an assistant coach, has joined the Princeton program as the volunteer assistant coach as the team prepares for the 2022 season. Gillern follows former head coach Kristen Holmes-Winn and former assistant coach Melissa Meccage, who led the Tigers to the 2012 NCAA championship, as former Iowa players who have coached at Princeton.

In fact, Gillern played for Iowa when Holmes-Winn was an assistant coach there, including on the Hawkeyes' 1999 Final Four team. Gillern was a first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American in 2003, as well as a team captain and four-time NFHCA and Big Ten All-Academic honoree.

Gillern brings with her a wealth of coaching experience in college field hockey, including helping West Chester to the 2011 Division II NCAA title. She most recently spent eight years as an assistant coach in the Ivy League at Dartmouth, where she was Associate Head Coach her last four years.

She started her coaching career at Rutgers in 2004, and she was with the Scarlet Knights until she left for West Chester prior to the 2010 season. While at West Chester, she also earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration, with a graduate certificate in Sports Management and Athletics.

In addition to her college coaching, she also has spent considerable time on the high school, U.S. Field Hockey Association, camp and club levels, including most recently at Seneca High School in South Jersey, where she coached during the 2021 season. She is a member of the United States Over-35 national team.

"We're thrilled to have Pattie on our staff," said Princeton head coach Carla Tagliente, who has guided Princeton to two Finals Fours and the 2019 NCAA final. "She has so much experience and knowledge and is such a tremendous coach. We're looking forward to the impact that she will have on our players as we get started."

The Tigers are ranked 13th in the preseason by the NFCHA, and the schedule includes seven of the top 10 teams, including the season opener at No. 2 North Carolina Sept. 2.

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