What have you been up to since graduating from Monmouth?

After graduation from Monmouth, I decided I still wanted to have field hockey in my life so I took a volunteer position at Lehigh University. I became the graduate assistant there a year later where I coached and completed my master's degree in mental health counseling. After that I took a full-time position at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania, before coming to Northeastern, where I am now. I have been here for three years as an assistant on the field hockey staff and I recently enrolled in a doctoral program here focused on organizational leadership. Six years later and I have still been able to stay involved in the sport I love!

What made you get into coaching?

My life has centered around the sports I have played since I was a little kid, and I was lucky enough to play in college. Along the way, I had a lot of coaches that have helped shape me and mentor me into the person I am. Sports has created an opportunity for me to become a better and stronger person. I wanted to give back to the sport that gave me that opportunity and help other young women grow in those ways. Plus, competing day in and day out to win and be the best is pretty great too!

What is your fondest memory at Monmouth?

My favorite memory…I don't think I can pick just one. I loved my teammates. Spending time with my teammates before games and practices in the locker room or on road trips was always fun. My favorite memories were with them! 

If you could give advice to a current Monmouth player, what would it be?

Face the things that scare you head on! At first it was hard for me to get close with my teammates and I was a very nervous freshman, but I finally figured it out and was grateful when I finally did build friendships on the team. Holding back off the field, held me back on the field too. Putting myself out there allowed me to build those relationships. I was scared when I walked on the field for my first collegiate start against a No. 4 Syracuse, but I did it and I earned my career high saves in that game! I was nervous to present my senior thesis for psychology at the spring conference in front of a massive room full of people, but I did it and underscored the lesson that we can do more than we think we can.

Have you been able to follow along with Monmouth Field Hockey since graduating?

Yes! I follow along to see how Monmouth is doing every year. It has been great to see them find the success on the field that they definitely deserve. I was there to see their first MAAC Championship and I hope they can continue to find that same success in the America East! Lucky for me, I have been able to share the field with Monmouth a couple times as a coach too. 

How did your time at Monmouth prepare you for life after graduation?

Monmouth changed my life. I think I went there still a kid in many ways, and I got to grow up there, I learned that I can face challenges and overcome. I learned that you can always do more than you think you can. Most important for me, is that every day you have a choice for how you are going to show up. Not everything is going to be in your control, but you decide how you show up. Beyond the character building that took place there, my playing experienced open the door for me to coach at this level and has given me so many opportunities to travel, create lifelong connections, and continue to grow. Being able to go into coaching has been an invaluable experience that started on So Sweet A Cat.

Between your former teammates and coaches, who has had the most impact on your life?

I think if I had to pick one person that had the most impact, it would probably have to be Melissa Katz. We only played together for a year when she was a 5th year starter and I was a redshirt freshman, but she continued to be a part of my playing career at Monmouth and a friend beyond the field. In playing with her, I had no doubt that she was one of the hardest working and mentally tough people I had met, and that challenged me to work harder and be tougher. But Katz is also a good friend, and a good coach. She was always supportive and always ready to help. She also came back to volunteer coach for a short period and as an athlete, I always felt like she believed in me and was invested in my development. Post college, she has continued to be a resource for me in field hockey and a good friend off the field. We have faced similar challenges in life, and I am lucky to have a teammate and friend like her.

Teresa Mathews was the Hawks' goalkeeper in 50 career games, making 46 starts.  She owned a 2.33 goals against average and made 235 career saves, good for a .681 save percentage.  Mathews earned 26 victories in cage and posted eight shutouts.