In 1981, Pfeiffer took on Bentley in the first-ever DII Field Hockey Championship. Pfeiffer rose victorious by a score of 5-3. Its five goals would be the most scored until 2002 when Bloomsburg matched that total. While that was Pfeiffer’s lone national championship, a trend of repeat winners began the following season.
Lock Haven won in 1982 and Bloomsburg followed with its first title in 1983. The championship game went on hiatus for nine years and returned in 1992. Lock Haven and Bloomsburg combined to win the next nine national championships until Bentley was able to break through and end the two powerhouse program's streak.
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Here’s a look at the programs with the most DII field hockey national championships.
Bloomsburg, 13 (1983, 1993, 1996-99, 2002-04, 2006-09)
Simply put, the Huskies set the benchmark when it comes to DII field hockey. Though they haven’t won a title since the legendary Jan Hutchinson retired (she still serves as a volunteer assistant), their names are littered all over the record book for individual and team accolades. Bloomsburg has lost more title games (five) than all but one program has won.
Just how impressive was Hutchinson’s run? Along with her 13 national titles and 591 career victories, third most all-time across every division, she was also the softball head coach, compiling a record of 1,215-288-2 in her illustrious career. She was DII softball’s all-time winningest coach until Wayne State’s Gary Bryce broke the record just two seasons ago.
Lock Haven, 5 (1982, 1992, 1994-95, 2000)
The Bald Eagles were a team of field hockey firsts. They were the first program to win a title when the national championship game resumed play in 1992. They were also the first repeat champions in DII field hockey lore, going back-to-back in 1994 and 1995. Bloomsburg and Lock Haven became the Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed of the sport, facing each other in seven-straight championship games and eight overall.
Shippensburg, 4 (2013, 2016-18)
The Raiders made it three in a row in 2018. Head coach Bertie Landes handed the reigns over to Tara Zollinger in 2017 and Shippensburg didn’t miss a beat as Zollinger became the first head coach to win a title in her first year as head coach. Now she's 2-for-2. Not a bad start to her career.
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Mass-Lowell, 2 (2005, 2010)
Mass-Lowell would have quite a few more titles to its name except for one problem. Bloomsburg. Mass-Lowell lost four national championships to the Huskies, including three in a row between 2007 to 2009. Despite only two titles, head coach Shannon Hlebichuk had an unquestioned DII field hockey powerhouse, appearing in eight national title games in a ten-year span.
West Chester, 2 (2010-11)
The Golden Rams have only been to two national championships. Unlike the other multiple-time winners, West Chester made the most of its opportunities and is perfect in its title game appearances. West Chester faced off against Mass-Lowell in both seasons it won.
| YEAR | CHAMPION (RECORD) | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Shippensburg (19-4) | Tara Zollinger | 1-0 OT | East Stroudsburg | Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| 2017 | Shippensburg (17-4) | Tara Zollinger | 4-1 | LIU Post | Louisville |
| 2016 | Shippensburg (20-3) | Bertie Landes | 2-1 | LIU Post | Stonehill |
| 2015 | East Stroudsburg (18-3) | Sandy Miller | 1-0 | Merrimack | Bloomsburg |
| 2014 | Millersville (20-3) | Shelly Behrens | 1-0 | LIU Post | Louisville |
| 2013 | Shippensburg (20-1) | Bertie Landes | 2-1 (ot) | LIU Post | Old Dominion |
| 2012 | West Chester (20-2) | Amy Cohen | 5-0 | Mass-Lowell | Mass-Lowell |
| 2011 | West Chester (17-4) | Amy Cohen | 2-1 | Mass-Lowell | Bloomsburg |
| 2010 | Mass-Lowell (24-0) | Shannon Hlebichuk | 1-0 | Shippensburg | Bellarmine |
| 2009 | Bloomsburg (22-1) | Jan Hutchinson | 3-2 | Mass-Lowell | Stonehill |
| 2008 | Bloomsburg (23-1) | Jan Hutchinson | 6-2 | Mass-Lowell | Bloomsburg |
| 2007 | Bloomsburg (21-4) | Jan Hutchinson | 5-2 | Mass-Lowell | Mass-Lowell |
| 2006 | Bloomsburg (24-0) | Jan Hutchinson | 1-0 | Bentley | Pensacola, Fla. |
| 2005 | Mass-Lowell (20-3) | Shannon Hlebichuk | 2-1 (2ot)* | Bloomsburg | Shippensburg |
| 2004 | Bloomsburg (21-3) | Jan Hutchinson | 3-2 (ot) | Bentley | Mass-Lowell |
| 2003 | Bloomsburg (22-2) | Jan Hutchinson | 4-1 | Mass-Lowell | Mass-Lowell |
| 2002 | Bloomsburg (21-0) | Jan Hutchinson | 5-0 | Bentley | Lock Haven |
| 2001 | Bentley (22-1) | Kelly McGowan | 4-2 | East Stroudsburg | Bentley |
| 2000 | Lock Haven (21-2) | Pat Rudy | 2-0 | Bentley | Lock Haven |
| 1999 | Bloomsburg (19-0) | Jan Hutchinson | 2-0 | Bentley | Bloomsburg |
| 1998 | Bloomsburg (21-1) | Jan Hutchinson | 4-3 (ot) | Lock Haven | Lock Haven |
| 1997 | Bloomsburg (20-3) | Jan Hutchinson | 2-0 | Kutztown | Bloomsburg |
| 1996 | Bloomsburg (19-2) | Jan Hutchinson | 1-0 | Lock Haven | Lock Haven |
| 1995 | Lock Haven (20-0) | Sharon Taylor | 1-0 | Bloomsburg | Lock Haven |
| 1994 | Lock Haven (18-2) | Sharon Taylor | 2-1 | Bloomsburg | Lock Haven |
| 1993 | Bloomsburg (16-2-1) | Jan Hutchinson | 2-1 (2ot)* | Lock Haven | Bloomsburg |
| 1992 | Lock Haven (15-5-1) | Sharon Taylor | 3-1 | Bloomsburg | Lock Haven |
| 1983 | Bloomsburg (16-2-1) | Jan Hutchinson | 1-0 | Lock Haven | Lock Haven |
| 1982 | Lock Haven (16-1) | Sharon Taylor | 4-1 | Bloomsburg | Bloomsburg |
| 1981 | Pfeiffer (9-4) | Ellen Briggs | 5-3 | Bentley | Pfeiffer |
