Legendary Penn State field hockey head coach to retire: ‘My heart is filled with gratitude’
Penn State field hockey head coach Char Morett-Curtiss announced her retirement Wednesday after a collegiate coaching career that spanned 39 seasons.
She will continue to remain with the team in an advising role.
“My heart is filled with gratitude for Penn State,” Morett-Curtiss said in a statement. “I came here as a student-athlete in July 1975 and have had countless opportunities to grow and make an impact because of the University and people like Ellen Perry, who hired me, and athletic directors like Tim Curley, Sandy Barbour and Pat Kraft, who have supported Penn State field hockey and me every step of the way.”
Morett-Curtiss has been with the Nittany Lions for the majority of her time in the sport, first playing for Penn State from 1975-1979 and making a return as the head coach in 1987. She took quick detours with Old Dominion (1980-1984) and Boston College (1984-1987). Morrett-Curtiss took over from her former head coach Gillian Rattray, leading Penn State to an overall record of 575-239-16, six Final Four appearances and 30 NCAA Tournament berths. The longtime Penn State coach has also won the Big Ten Coach of the Year award seven times.
As a player, she scored 50 career goals, tied for the Penn State record for goals in a game with five (against Bucknell on Oct. 4, 1977) and was a two-time first-team NFHCA All-American in 1977 and 1978.
She capped off her coaching career with a 17-4 record in 2022 and made one last Final Four appearance. Morett-Curtiss lead her team to a share of the 2022 Big Ten regular season championship, along with having four NFHCA All-Americans, seven NFHCA All-Region picks and five All-Big Ten selections.
In a statement, Athletic Director Pat Kraft called Morett-Curtiss a legend and a “keystone of the Penn State field hockey program” from the time she was student-athlete through her coaching career.
“Her passion for Penn State, Happy Valley, women’s athletics and field hockey, in particular, has shown through in everything she does,” he said. “She has been a mentor for so many young women, not only making them better field hockey players but preparing them for life after field hockey.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2023 at 10:02 AM.
