Katie Ord, a two-time All-American during her playing career at East Stroudsburg University, enters her 13th season as a full-time assistant coach for the Warriors under head coach Sandy Miller during the 2024 season.
She helped the Warriors win their first-ever PSAC and NCAA Division II championships in 2015 (19-3). The Warriors have made eight straight NCAA Tournaments from 2015 through 2023, posting a 140-31 record during that span. The 2016 team (15-4) won a share of its second straight PSAC regular season title, the 2017 team (17-5) was PSAC runner-up and received a first-round bye to the national semifinals and the 2018 team (16-5) was co-regular season PSAC champions and the DII runner-up. In 2019, the Warriors finished 19-3 after capturing the program's second PSAC Tournament title with a 1-0 victory against Kutztown. After missing the 2020 season, the Warriors didn't skip a beat in 2021 as they punched their ticket to the NCAA DII Tournament for the sixth consecutive season.
ESU continued its dominance in 2023 as the Warriors finished 18-3 overall and 8-1 in the PSAC while capturing back-to-back conference titles and finishing as the NCAA Division II National Runner-Up. ESU earned six NFHCA All-America selections, the most in Division II and program history, as Maddy Barbush, Nicole Krozser and Jady van Gils landed on the First Team while Madison Kline, Grace Lesh and Lia Parker were honored on the Second Team. van Gils collected a number of postseason honors including being named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for field hockey, the NFHCA National Player of the Year, the NFHCA Atlatic Region Player of the Year, PSAC Athlete of the Year and PSAC Tournament MVP.
In 2022, the Warriors set the program record for wins with a 20-2 mark on their way to capturing their second NCAA Division II championship and third PSAC title. Additionally, ESU's staff was honored by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) as the Division II National Coaching Staff and Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year. ESU was a juggernaut defensively, leading the nation in goals against average (0.41), save percentage (0.877) and shutouts (15). During the opening ceremony for the 2022 Division II Fall Championships Festival, the Warriors were honored with the Team GPA Award for having the top cumulative grade-point average (3.584). The Warriors had five First Team All-America selections in senior back Olivia Breen, senior midfielder Nicole Krozser, senior midfielder Lia Parker, junior goalkeeper Amy Supey and sophomore midfielder Jady van Gils.
ESU had four All-America selections from the 2015 national championship team in senior forward Ally Roth, junior back Emily Howell, junior midfielder Desiraye Mack and senior midfielder Rebecca Snyder. Roth completed her career as ESU's career leader in goals and points and was a three-time All-America selection.
Howell and Mack repeated as first team All-America selections as seniors in 2016, and Howell was named the DII field hockey nominee for the Honda Broderick Award.
Senior back Sydney McCarthy was named first team All-America and was ESU's second straight Honda Broderick Award nominee in 2017. The Warriors had three more first team All-Americans in 2018 (seniors Ashley Ceschini, Bailey Quinn, Kelli Shapiro), and they had the DII Elite 90 award winner for a third time in four years.
Ord was a four-year starter at back for ESU, earning second team All-PSAC and All-America status as a sophomore and first team All-PSAC and All-America honors as a senior in 2006. She graduated from ESU in 2007 with a degree in Exercise Science with a minor in coaching.
She was the graduate assistant for the field hockey program in 2007 and 2008 while earning a Master’s degree in Exercise Science. She then served as a volunteer coach for the Warriors and worked summer camps before being hired full-time in January 2011.
Ord, a native of Palmerton, Pa., completed her Level II coaching accreditation through USA Field Hockey in summer 2013.
She also serves as the advisor for “The Awakening” at ESU, a weekly program which helps students get acclimated to the campus and brings purpose in life. She started the program as a sophomore, and is also very active with Labor of Love USA, a local non-profit organization and ministry.
She was the graduate assistant for the field hockey program in 2007 and 2008 while earning a Master’s degree in Exercise Science.
Ord, a native of Palmerton, Pa., completed her Level II coaching accreditation through USA Field Hockey in summer 2013.
She also serves as the advisor for ESU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a weekly program that encourages and equips student-athletes in their faith. She is also very active with Labor of Love USA, a local non-profit organization and ministry, and has served on the ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2018.
