Staci Brennan enters her 11th season as the head field hockeycoach at Hood. Brennan and the Blazers will embark on their firstseason in the Middle Atlantic Conferences in 2012.
Last season, Brennan mentored Hood's first all-Capital AthleticConference selection in defender Michelle Buhrman '13, who wasrecognized on the second team by the league's head coaches. Hoodwent 3-12 in 2011, notching wins over Bryn Mawr, Cedar Crest andSt. Vincent, while in 2010, Brennan and the Blazers posted a recordof 3-13. In 2009, the Blazers registered five wins, the most forthe program since the 2005 campaign.
Brennan served as Hood's mentor in its final five seasons in theAtlantic Women's Colleges Conference. Her first three squadsmanaged a combined six victories, but she guided a young squadfeaturing 13 freshmen and sophomores to the top of the AWCC in2005. As the No. 3 seed in the AWCC tournament, Hood upset No. 2Mary Baldwin and No. 1 Wilson by 1-0 scores to capture its secondconference title in school history (the other came in 1999).
In 2005 Brennan was selected the AWCC Coach of the Year afterleading Hood to the AWCC conference crown and a 7-8 finish, whichmore than doubled its win total (3-11) from 2004. In addition, fiveBlazers were named to the all-AWCC squad, led by senior goalieCheryl Banks, who was voted the Most Outstanding Player afterleading NCAA Division III with a .909 save percentage and tying for14th in the nation with 179 saves. Banks finished her career with874 saves to rank fourth in NCAA Division III history.
In 2006, despite falling early in the AWCC tournament, threeBlazers were honored by the league. Justina Miller, Crystal Parkerand Brandy Noel were all named to the all-conference firstteam.
Brennan also led the Blazer women's lacrosse program to renewedsuccess in her four years as head coach from 2004-07. In the springof 2005, Brennan guided Hood to a school-record seven wins, itsfirst-ever AWCC championship game and a runner-up finish in theconference. She was rewarded with AWCC Coach of the Year honors aswell.
Also in 2005, Tiffany Still was named the AWCC Most OutstandingPlayer of the Year and played in the prestigious IntercollegiateWomen's Lacrosse Coaches Association/STX Division III North-SouthSenior All-Star Game. That same year, Banks led NCAA Division IIIwith 6.64 ground balls per game.
In 2006, Brennan tutored five Blazers to all-AWCC honors, led byfreshman Liz Rakowski, who was chosen the AWCC Newcomer of theYear.
Brennan's student-athletes have also been lauded for theirexcellence in the classroom. Since 2005, a total of 30 Blazers havebeen named to National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA)Division III National Academic Squad.
Brennan, who also serves as the Hood athletic department'scompliance coordinator and senior woman administrator, played fieldhockey for Catawba College, a NCAA Division II school in Salisbury,N.C. In her four years at Catawba she started all 63 games, wasnamed to the All-Deep South team, received the Coaches Award andserved as a co-captain her senior year.
After receiving a bachelor's degree in communication arts fromCatawba in 1995, Brennan returned to Maryland to attend TowsonUniversity. Two years later she earned a master's degree in masscommunications.
