By Brian ReganThe Daily Northwestern
In 2003, nine years after leading Northwestern to a Big Ten championship and an NCAA tournament semifinal appearance, Kelly McCollum landed her dream job: the Wildcats’ head field hockey coach.
This weekend she’s looking for her first postseason win as a coach as the Cats take on third-seeded Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.
“It was pretty much a no-brainer to come back to Northwestern,” McCollum said. “I am so proud of this university and program. It was an honor to come back and rebuild the program.”
After graduating from NU in ’95 with a degree in chemical engineering, McCollum was an assistant on the East Coast at Northeastern and New Hampshire.
In 2000, she accepted a position on the staff of her former collegiate coach Marisa Didio at NU and after Didio’s retirement, McCollum was in prime position to take over.
“I think the level of experience I had in my first four years as an assistant and being able to show my management skills really helped me out,” McCollum said. “My passion and love for Northwestern helped carry me over my peers.”
Less than three seasons into her tenure, the team has had mixed results.
Despite winning only two conference games in three years, her 2006 recruiting class included 10 players, several of whom have seen significant playing time this season.
“It was very different from freshmen year,” senior midfielder Meghan Small said. “In the last three years, she has grown a lot and learned how to adapt to different types of players.”
After a season of tough games and even tougher losses, McCollum had to focus on building chemistry and relationships to help with the intangibles on the field.
“It is extremely rewarding,” McCollum said. “I am seeing how much that trust and respect has an impact on the day-to-day performance of my team.”
Earning that trust was difficult at first for some of her players early in her tenure at NU. In the beginning she needed to have her authority known, Small said.
“She has allowed herself to get closer to her players over the years, being less strict and letting more of her personality come through,” Small said.
Now she is faced with the task of bringing the program back up to the prominence it had back when she was running on the field rather than on the sidelines.
After accumulating a solid staff of coaches and playing tough opponents, McCollum has been able to bring in qualified personnel that wouldn’t have even thought of NU before she arrived.
“Kelly has made huge steps with the program, not just little ones,” redshirt junior Christina Foley said. “She has a great staff and she works hard to push the team hard every day.”
And McCollum said she is hoping the progress she instilled in the program will bring about the first postseason victory of the McCollum era.
“We are right on the brink of greatness,” McCollum said. “We are so close, I think this team is hungry and ready to take the next step and give a little bit more.”
Reach Brian Regan at [email protected].
