Entering her 18th season at the helm of the Monmouth University field hockey team, Carli Figlio’s program has consistently excelled both on the field and in the classroom. Figlio’s squad won five-straight regular season championships and made three NCAA Tournament appearances during its tenure in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference before continuing the winning-ways this past season in the America East.
Named the second head coach in program history on January 17, 2007, Figlio, who served on the NCAA Division I Field Hockey and All-American Committees, coordinates one of the most decorated academic teams in the country. 77 student-athletes over the last seven seasons were named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) National Academic team, an honor which 146 student-athletes have earned over Figlio's 13 years in West Long Branch. In 2011, the Hawks sported the third-best GPA amongst Division I teams. In addition, Morganne Firmstone earned back-to-back Northeast Conference Scholar-Athlete accolades in 2010 and 2011, while Tara Brown (2012), Amanda Schoenfeld (2012), Katie Yoder (2018, 2019), Stefanie Bigler (2019), Julianna Carletti (2019) and Catherine Moran (2019) were all tabbed as NFHCA Scholars of Distinction for achieving GPA of a 3.9 or higher.
Figlio continued to guide the program to success in 2021. The Hawks finished 12-6 overall and posted a 6-2 record in league play, earning the second seed in the America East Championship. Monmouth downed two ranked teams throughout the season, besting No. 17 Delaware before earning its highest-ever ranked victory against No. 15 Princeton. Annick van Lange was named to the NFHCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Team and was also recognized as the America East Offensive Player of the Year. In addition, the Blue and White earned five all-league selections, with van Lange (First Team), Hanna McKie (Second Team), Lorane Vanneste (Second Team/Rookie Team), Lieve Meidane (Rookie Team), and Jess Tucker (Rookie Team) earning honors. The team was nationally ranked in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Poll for six weeks of the season, topping out at 20th overall.
With over 95-percent of the active roster earning a 3.0 grade point average or better in 2019, Monmouth field hockey made a splash in its first year in the league and was well represented on the America East Fall Honor Roll. Over 50-percent of the Hawks were named to the Commissioner's Honor Roll, earning a 3.50 or better, while nine student-athletes were added to the AE Honor Roll by obtaining a 3.0 or better.
Figlio’s 2019 team proved the Hawks could compete right away in the ultra-competitive America East. Monmouth finished 14-5 overall and was a perfect 5-0 in league play en route to the East Division Regular Season Championship. The Blue and White was the number-one overall seed and host for the conference tournament, earning a trip to the finals against No. 17 Stanford. Monmouth, which claimed the program’s first win over a ranked opponent with its victory over No. 20 UAlbany, was paced by five all-league players, while Figlio and her staff were lauded as the America East Staff of the Year. Both Annick van Lange and Yasmin Pratt were named to the NFHCA All-Region teams, while Josephine van der Hoop competed in the annual NFHCA Senior Game, highlighting the nation’s elite graduating players. Figlio’s squad was nationally ranked in the Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Poll for seven weeks of the season, topping out at number 20.
It their final year in the conference, the Hawks claimed their third MAAC Tournament trophy in 2018 after a 13-win season, including a perfect 10-0 record at home. Figlio, the league’s coach of the year recipient, mentored Georgia Garden Bachop to both MAAC Player and Offensive Player of the Year honors, while five Hawks were tabbed to the all-conference teams. Garden Bachop, the MAAC Championship Most Valuable Player and a first-team all-region selection, finished fourth nationally in goals per game (1.13) and sixth in points per game (2.56).
Figlio guided the Hawks to a 15-win season in 2017 before falling in the MAAC championship game. For the first time ever, MUFH was ranked in the national poll spending two separate weeks at No. 25. Eight Hawks were tabbed to the All-MAAC Teams, including a program-best six on the first team, while being home to the MAAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year (Julie Laszlo), Offensive Player of the Year (van der Hoop) and Rookie of the Year (Tamar Klinkhamer). Laszlo and van der Hoop were named to the All-Mid-Atlantic Teams, while Laszlo, the nation’s leader in assists per game (1.21), became the first Hawk to repeat as an All-American.
Figlio and the Hawks celebrated a banner year in 2016, the best season in their Division I field hockey era. The Blue and White set seven team records including most wins (17), consecutive wins (10), most goals (65), most assists (59), most points (189), shutouts (10) and GAA (1.26). The Hawks finished top-10 nationally in 10 statistical categories, finishing in the top-three in shutouts per game (1st - 0.50), penalty corners per game (2nd – 9.00), defensive saves (3rd – 15), and winning percentage (3rd - .850). Figlio’s squad finished a perfect 9-0 at home during the regular season and completed the conference slate undefeated for the first time in program history. Monmouth was home to seven all-league players and five major award winners as Laszlo was named the MAAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Alyssa Ercolino took home MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, Christen Piersanti was awarded MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year and Figlio was named the league’s Coach of the Year. A program-high four Hawks were added to the NFHCA All-Region team, while Laszlo became Monmouth’s second All-American recipient.
In 2015, Figlio guided her squad to a 5-1 league mark en route to its second consecutive MAAC Regular Season crown and earned the right to host the conference championships. Six Hawks were tabbed to the All-MAAC Teams, five of which earning first team accolades, while Casey Hanna earned her second-straight MAAC Defensive Player of the Year honor and Piersanti became the program’s first league Goalkeeper of the Year recipient. For the seventh consecutive season, Figlio’s team had at least one representative on the NFHCA All-Region squad as Hanna and Cori Allen both were lauded on the second team.
Figlio, the Lids Team Sports MAAC Coach of the Year, guided her team to a 13-8 (4-1 MAAC) mark during the 2014 championships season, the third time she has led MU to double-digit win totals. A league-high eight Hawks were lauded All-MAAC, while Trish O’Dwyer, the program’s first NFHCA All-American, was tabbed the MAAC Player and Offensive Player of the Year, Hanna was named the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, while Meg Donahue took home MAAC Rookie of the Year honors. O’Dwyer, the new program leader in points (143; 53 g, 37 a), was joined on the NFHCA All-Mid-Atlantic by Hanna and Schoenfeld. After earning the first tournament championship in program history on So Sweet A Cat Field, Figlio and the Hawks hosted Princeton in the NCAA Play-In game on campus, the fifth time Monmouth Athletics has hosted an NCAA event on campus, falling to the Tigers by one. Figlio's team ended the year ranked fourth in the country in penalty corners per game (8.24) and seventh in defensive saves (11), while being ranked in the top-two in the MAAC in 10 different statistical categories.
In the first year competing in the MAAC in 2013, Figlio tutored Alex Carroll to two major conference awards, while four were named all-league. Carroll, the league’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, also was tabbed to the NFHCA All-Mid-Atlantic Second Team, the fifth consecutive season the Hawks were represented on the all-region squad. O’Dwyer joined Carroll on the All-MAAC First Team, while defender Ali Askinas and Schoenfeld were placed on the All-MAAC Second Team. As a whole, the team captured six wins highlighted by the victory over Delaware, a team that was ranked as high as 16th in the national polls during the season and went on to win a game in the NCAA Tournament.
Figlio mentored some of the best players in the Northeast Conference in 2012, including the NEC’s Player and Offensive Player of the Year in Michelle Pieczysnki, the first Hawk to claim the player of the year honor since 2000 and first ever offensive player of the year recipient. Pieczynski, who became the program’s all-time leading scorer during her tenure, made her third-straight appearance on a NFHCA All-Regional team and earned a spot in the organization’s Senior Game, a first for a Monmouth player. Along with Pieczynski on the All-NEC First Team were Carroll and O’Dwyer as the trio helped land the Hawks back in the conference championships for the fourth-straight season. Figlio and the Blue and White wrapped up the year with eight victories, including a 5-2 conference mark.
Led by a league-high six All-NEC performers, including two NFHCA All-Region members in Pieczynski and O'Dwyer, Figlio's squad finished with 15 wins in 2011, tying a program-best set in the 2010 season. The squad, which finished second overall and just one win shy of an elusive NEC crown, went 8-3 against non-conference opponents with victories over Miami (OH), Lehigh, Columbia, Vermont, Rutgers, Delaware, Temple and Georgetown. Under Figlio's mentorship, Pieczynski became the Hawks' first NFHCA All-Mid-Atlantic First Team recipient.
In 2010, Figlio, the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year, directed the Hawks to a record breaking season, highlighted by 15 victories. MU was featured in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll for the first time in its 14-year history on September 14th, receiving six votes. The Hawks were in the weekly poll seven times throughout the season, topping out with seven tallies. Figlio also lead her squad to a program best 8-3 record against non-conference opponents, including first-ever victories over Villanova and Delaware, before posting a 6-1 NEC record, finishing second, and playing for the conference title for the second time in as many years. Figlio mentored Pieczynski, who was tabbed to the Longstreth/NFHCA Division I Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team for her 31 point season (14 goals, 3 assists), and classmate Kimmy Baligian to a break-out season (14 goals, 1 assist). Figlio saw her squad earn a league high six all-conference award winners, while also adding three to the NEC All-Tournament team.
The 2009 Hawks celebrated a nine-win season for the first time since 2002. The Blue and White, which finished fourth in the NEC, upset top-seeded Rider to advance to the NEC Championship game, marking its first trip to the final game in 10 seasons. Figlio guided All-NEC First-Team selection Enza Mazza to an 11- goal (3rd in NEC) and 29- point (4th in NEC) season. Mazza became the fourth Hawk to earn NFHCA Mid-Atlantic honorees. Along with Mazza, Figlio also mentored Ashley McPeek to her first postseason honor. The local product started all 19 games, finding the back of the cage four times while adding two helpers. Sarah Keppel made her second-straight appearance on the NEC Second-Team putting together a solid senior season posting two goals and a defensive save to her credit. Pieczynski was one of two first year players to claim postseason honors as the forward claimed rookie of the week twice, leading freshmen in goals with eight and tied all rookies with 18 points.
The Hawks saw six All-NEC honorees in Figlio's first two years at the helm. She oversaw her first All-NEC First-Team selection, Molly Passarella, and led two other All-NEC Second-Team selections in Mazza and Keppel. Passarella was also named to the Second Team Mid-Atlantic Regional NFHCA in 2007, becoming Monmouth's first recipient since Kelly Balady was tagged to the second team in 2004.
As an assistant in West Long Branch, Figlio helped mentor a pair of All-Northeast Conference performers in Janine McMillin and Maeve Hagen. In her two seasons as the program’s lead assistant coach, she was instrumental in helping the Monmouth offense improve and increase its goals per game mark more than a tally over the course of two years.
Figlio is a 2005 graduate of Kent State University, where she was a Dean's List student and earned a degree in Communications Studies. As a player, she led the Golden Flashes to three Mid-American Conference regular season field hockey championships, as well as the 2002 MAC Tournament title as a midfielder. She served as team captain from 2002-2004, and was named to the National Academic Team in 2003 and the All-Region Academic Team in 2004. Kent State made three appearances in the NCAA tournament during her career.
A New Jersey native, Figlio earned second-team all-state, first-team all-conference, and first team All-North Jersey honors during her stellar career at Voorhees High School.
