April 4, 2007
EASTON, Pa. - After 25 years and successful stints as the head coach of two Lafayette programs, current field hockey coach Ann Gold announced to her team and the department on Wednesday evening that she will be retiring at the completion of this spring season. Gold leaves Lafayette having coached in a combined 790 games, 477 wins, the most victories ever by any Lafayette coach, and 29 winning seasons between field hockey and women's lacrosse.
"Ann Gold will always have a special place in the hearts and minds of those fortunate enough to work with her and be coached by her," said Athletics Director Bruce McCutcheon. "I personally hold a deep appreciation for how Ann has positively impacted the students in her charge for these past 25 years. She is truly student-focused, which is the hallmark of the Lafayette Experience. We wish her well."
Gold echoes McCutcheon's sentiments and believes she is leaving the tradition-rich field hockey program on solid ground.
"A big part of me is really excited to start this new chapter in my life," Gold said. "The other half of me is very sad and emotional. I'm certainly going to miss the current players and competition immensely. Lafayette has suited me well, and I have enjoyed working with countless outstanding young women at the Division I level."
Seven of those outstanding young women left Lafayette with national or regional All-America status, while six of Gold's players garnered Patriot League Player of the Year honors. Gold collected five Patriot League Coach of the Year plaques in her tenure.
Gold was hired to take on dual duties as the head field hockey and women's lacrosse coach at Lafayette in 1983. The next 17 years included four straight Patriot League regular-season field hockey championships (1990-1993) and culminated with a 1999 Patriot League Tournament title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Leopards lost to eventual national champion Maryland.
The following spring, Gold was one of the last coaches in Division I to hold both reigns and coached her final women's lacrosse team before deciding to concentrate solely on field hockey. Three years later in 2002, the Leopards opened the season 0-2 before rattling off 19 straight wins to soar into the NFHCA/STX national rankings at No. 18 before falling to California in the NCAA play-in game. Lafayette captured its seventh regular season title and third Patriot League Tournament championship under Gold, who was later named the 2002 Patriot League and Mid-East Region Coach of the Year by her peers.
Gold ends her career with field hockey just three wins shy of 300 and remains one of the winningest coaches for a single sport ever on College Hill with a career record of 297-184-23, second only to former baseball skipper Charlie Gelbert (1946-1967) who amassed a career record of 307-172 in 21 seasons. Lafayette posted a solid 3-2 mark in the Patriot League and made its first appearance in the league tournament since 2003. Gold ranks in the top-20 among NFHCA Division I coaches for career wins and games coached.
"After 25 years, there is never a good time to stop, but I feel like I'm leaving the program in a very stable situation," Gold said. "We recruited hard and are returning a strong group of players for next fall, all of whom are already looking better and better during each spring tournament. I anticipate a seamless transition."
Lafayette returns 10 letterwinners from last season, including five of the top six leading scorers from 2006. The program also welcomes its first scholarship class of six for next fall.
As far as what the future holds for Gold, she plans on spending the winter months at her Florida condominium in Bonita Springs, located just north of Naples. "I am eager to attend as many Lafayette field hockey games that I can, and continue to watch the players and program continue to develop," Gold said.
