Susie Whelan enters her second year as the head coach of the field hockey program.

In her first season at the helm, she helped guide the Lancers to their first winning season, their first LEC playoff appearance and first ECAC New England Division III Tournament since 2008.

Coach Whelan came to Worcester State after previously serving as an assistant field hockey coach at Boston College. While at BC, Coach Whelan helped lead the squad to a 12-7 record, finishing fourth in the ACC regular season standings. Whelan was also responsible for administrative aspects of the program including travel, game day logistics, recruiting, scouting and the operating the BC field hockey camps and clinics.

Before her stop at Chestnut Hill, Coach Whelan was an assistant field hockey coach and goalkeeping coach at Holy Cross from 2007-10. In addition serving as the assistant camps and clinics director, Coach Whelan was in charge of travel, film duties, alumni and fundraising efforts. Whelan helped goalkeeper Erin Singleton earn Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year accolades in 2007 and 2008.

Coach Whelan was also a standout midfielder/back for the Crusaders from 2003-06 as three of her four squads were runners-up in the Patriot League. Coach Whelan was an All-Patriot League selection in her junior and senior year while she earned NFHCA Second-Team All-New England accolades in 2006.

At Holy Cross, Coach Whelan was also recognized as the team’s Rookie of the Year in 2003, the squads Unsung Hero in 2005 and MVP in 2006. She finished her four seasons tied for fifth on the all-time list with 20 assists.

In addition to her experience with numerous area camps and clinics at Tufts, Worcester State and Northeastern, Coach Whelan has been active as a head coach for both the Worcester County Field Hockey Academy and the US Field Hockey Futures program.

Coach Whelan has her Level II US Field Hockey Coaching Accreditation as she is also a member of the Alliance for Women Coaches, US Field Hockey, the NFHCA and she is a recent graduate of the NCAA Women’s Coaching Academy 2011 class.

Whelan, a native of Acton, MA, holds her BA in Visual Arts from Holy Cross and she is currently finishing up her Masters in Administrative Studies at Boston College.