Coach Kane will retire as the longest-tenured head coach in Fairfield Athletics history.
Fairfield University Field Hockey Head Coach Jackie Kane '87 has announced that she will retire from coaching following the 2024 season, her 30th season as the leader of the program. Kane has won 251 games at Fairfield since taking the helm in 1995.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to represent Fairfield Field Hockey for almost 30 years," said Coach Kane. "Thank you to Paul Schlickmann for his support of the amazing young women that have come through our program, and to Gene Doris for believing in me and taking a chance on me as a first-time college head coach. Thank you to all of my assistant coaches over the years, as well as the countless others who have been a part of this journey, especially Alison Sexton, Mark Ayotte, and Jack Jones, who have been supporting the field hockey program for almost as long as I have."
"Most of all," Coach Kane continued, "I want to thank all of the past and present Fairfield University Field Hockey student-athletes and their families for allowing me to be a part of their lives. It has been my pleasure to serve as your coach. Fairfield Field Hockey is and will always be a huge part of my life. I am looking forward to leading the team this fall and continuing to be a part of this amazing program as an alumna, friend, and fan, for many years to come. Once a Stag, always a Stag."
Coach Kane has led the Stags to five NCAA postseason appearances: after winning the Patriot League Championship in 2001, the MAAC Championship in 2015 and 2017, and the NEC Championship in 2019 and 2021. She and her staff were named the NFHCA Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year in 2019 after earning an NFHCA national ranking and winning a program-record 19 games — including the first-ever NCAA postseason win in program history with a 3-1 win over #23 American on University Field. Individually, Coach Kane has coached more than 40 NFHCA Regional All-Americans, 14 conference Players of the Year, and the first three All-Americans in program history.
Coach Kane's 251 career wins rank 13th among active Division I coaches and 33rd all-time in Division I history. When she takes the pitch for her 30th season on Aug. 30 at Bryant, she will surpass former Fairfield Men's Tennis Head Coach Dr. Joseph Grassi as the longest-tenured varsity head coach in Fairfield Athletics history.
"Jackie Kane has been an incredible steward of Fairfield University for more than 40 years as a student-athlete, an alumna and, of course, as one of the most successful coaches in the history of our institution," said Fairfield President Mark R. Nemec, PhD. "Coach Kane's impact has been felt and will continue to be felt not only through her own contributions, but in the contributions of the hundreds of outstanding young women whom she developed as a part of the Fairfield community."
During her tenure, Coach Kane also espoused the importance of community service to her student-athletes, which led to many projects including fundraisers for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Play for the Cure, Lil' Stags Field Hockey, as well as many local organizations. The program also reached out to communities beyond the United States, planning service trips to places such as Barbados and parts of Europe.
In addition to the success on the pitch, Coach Kane saw her student-athletes excel academically. The Stags received individual and team recognition for their accomplishments in the classroom over her 30 years at the helm. In 2021, Fairfield Field Hockey ranked #1 in NCAA Division I for highest team GPA with 24 student-athletes named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad. That squad owned a 3.79 team GPA in the fall, which was also best among all Fairfield athletic teams that year.
"Coach Kane is synonymous with Fairfield Field Hockey and Stags Athletics. We celebrate with great admiration her exceptional longevity, her impressive track record of competitive success, and her relentless advocacy for the growth of the sport she loves," said Vice President for Athletics Paul Schlickmann. "Coach Kane leaves an indelible mark on the historical progression and upward trajectory of women's athletics at Fairfield. Her lasting legacy will be as a passionate believer in the holistic student-athlete experience and as an impactful mentor and role model to countless young women in field hockey and in life beyond Fairfield. Jackie is forever a Stag! We look forward to honoring her and the program in this last phase of her coaching journey."
A four-year member of the Fairfield field hockey team as a student-athlete from 1983-86, Kane graduated in 1987 with a BA in communication. She earned an MA in education from Saint Joseph's University in 1992. She began her coaching career at her high school alma mater – Mount St. Joseph Academy in Flourtown, Pa., leading the Chiefs to two championship games and posting a 38-7-5 record in three seasons.
Fairfield University Field Hockey opens the 2024 campaign with a road game against Bryant University on Aug. 30. The Stags will return to campus for a pair of home games the following weekend, hosting the College of the Holy Cross on Friday, Sept. 6 and La Salle University on Sunday, Sept. 8.
To assist Coach Kane in connecting with the alumnae and friends of Fairfield Field Hockey throughout the 2024 season, all are encouraged to complete this form to RSVP to games (home and away) that they plan to attend.
