U N H w i l d c at s Support Staff
Joanne Maldari
Shawn Green
Cathy Coakley
Doug Poole
Mike Murphy
Paul Chapman
Academic Support Services Athletic excellence is one-half the formula for success in the collegiate experience for University of New Hampshire field hockey players. The primary measure of achievement is the student-athlete’s success in the classroom – UNH has placed the highest number of student-athletes on the America East Academic Honor Roll each of the last four fall semesters (200910-11-12) and the Wildcats’ field hockey team tied for the highest total in 2012. For the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 academic years, UNH was awarded the America East Academic Cup for recording the highest GPA in the conference. In both the Fall 2004 and Winter/Spring 2005 semesters, UNH placed the highest number of student-athletes on the America East Academic Honor Roll; the ‘Cats also swept that honor in the 2011-12 academic year. New Hampshire also boasts one of the top graduation rates in the country. UNH is dedicated to enhancing the student-athlete’s ability to achieve academic excellence. Realizing the time commitment field players give to the school, the University administers a comprehensive program of academic support services that is available to Wildcat field hockey players and all other student-athletes. This program includes the monitoring of academic progress and providing tutorial services, as well as interacting with the academic advisors within the various colleges. Serving as Student-Athlete Support Coordinator is Assistant Athletic Director Joanne Maldari, a 1990 graduate of Holy Cross who went on to earn her master’s degree in Athletic Counseling at Springfield College. She was recognized for her outstanding efforts at UNH by receiving the University’s 2001 Academic Advising Award. Shawn Green serves as Academic Support Assistant and Compliance Coordinator. He earned a B.S. in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at UNH in 1996 and a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Michigan State. While at UNH, Green competed on both the cross country and track teams. Student-athlete Development The office of Student-Athlete Development, under the leadership of UNH alum Cathy Coakley since the 2008-09 academic year, exists to assist UNH student-athletes in learning and perfecting skills necessary to be successful in the classroom, on the playing field, in the University and seacoast community and in life-long endeavors. We coordinate comprehensive, sequential educational programs that enhance personal welfare and growth; these programs include the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), first-year student-athlete lifeskills education, community service activities and four-year leadership curriculum. Coakley has established – and will continue to establish – networks and act as a liaison with campus departments and constituencies. SAAC is a leadership group, selected by coaches and teammates, that acts as liaison between the athletic administration and student-athletes. All teams are represented. The purpose of SAAC is to: provide communication and feedback to the athletic administration regarding student-athletes’ concerns, policies and procedures; disseminate information from the administration, campus organizations and the conference to their coaches and teammates; promote UNH Athletics in a positive way across campus, in Durham and throughout the seacoast area; build “community” within the Athletic Department by involving all teams in activities, events and educational programs; be a voice in the America East conference and NCAA regarding legislation, policy and community outreach; increase student body, faculty and staff attendance at athletic events by increasing athlete visibility and involvement in campus activities; organize community service projects that involve all teams, collectively and individually. Athletic Communications The primary responsibility of the Athletic Communications office is to promote the 20 varsity sports at the University of New Hampshire. Included in this responsibility is working with media members, the promotion of student-athletes for academic and athletic awards (on the conference, regional and national levels), press releases, the production of media guides, game notes and programs, the maintenance of (team and individual) statistics and the content of the official UNH athletics website (www.unhwildcats.com) as well as related social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. The office’s newest venture is UNH Wildcat Productions, which provides video content for the website – live video streaming of home games, game highlights and various features – as well as produce televised games and Inside Wildcat Country, which is a monthly televised magazine show. UNH’s Athletic Communications office consists of a Director, two Associate Directors, two Assistant Directors and a Video Director as well as a corps of student workers. Tom Wilkins (Assumption ‘03) was elevated to the position of Associate Athletic Director for Media & Public Relations in July 2012 after serving as Assistant Director of Athletic Media & Public Relations for two years. He had rejoined the staff in summer 2007 as an office Associate Director and held that title until being promoted; Wilkins initially worked as an athletic media relations assistant at UNH in 2003-04. The remainder of the full-time staff consists of associate directors Doug Poole (UNH ‘93) and Mike Murphy (Syracuse ‘95), assistant directors Alex Comeau (Husson College ‘11) and Jon Luszcz (Endicott ‘12) as well as video director Jared Fieldsend (Thomas College ‘10). Poole, who joined the office in June 1997, is working with the field hockey program for the 14th consecutive year (16th overall). Murphy and Fieldsend started in summer 2010 followed by Comeau in spring 2012 and Luszcz in summer 2013.
John Ciani
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Tradition. Pride. Excellence.