Jan. 28, 2003

Beth Bozman, the head field hockey coach at Princeton the past 15 seasons, has been named head coach at Duke, Director of Athletics Joe Alleva announced on Tuesday.

"I am extremely pleased to announce that Beth Bozman is the field hockey coach at Duke University," said Alleva. "She is one of the top coaches in the country, having led Princeton to four Final Fours and nine straight Ivy League championships. I believe her arrival in Durham will elevate our field hockey program to new heights."

In 15 seasons as the head coach at Princeton, Bozman compiled an overall record of 188-73-6 (.723), including an 80-13-3 (.862) mark in Ivy League play. Along with the impressive won-loss record, Bozman guided the Tigers to eight NCAA Tournaments, four NCAA Final Fours and two championship game appearances. Princeton also reached three consecutive Final Fours (1996-1998), becoming just the third team in NCAA Field Hockey Tournament history to accomplish the feat.

In addition to regularly competing in the national tournament, the Tigers dominated the Ivy League under Bozman winning nine consecutive league titles (1994-2002). In each of the past three seasons, Princeton finished with a perfect record in Ivy League action.

Bozman made an immediate impact at Princeton, leading the Tigers to the ECAC Tournament in each of her first five seasons, including an ECAC championship run in 1992. Bozman also collected a national championship as an assistant coach on the Princeton lacrosse team, a position she held until 1996.

Widely recognized as both a motivator and teacher, Bozman has coached nine of the last 10 Ivy League Players of the Year and seven of the last 11 Ivy League Rookies of the Year. She has mentored five Honda Broderick Award nominees, 15 first team All-Americas, 27 All-Ivy League first team selections and 11 Academic All-Americas. What makes her accomplishments even more impressive is the fact that it has all been done without the benefit of scholarships.

Individual accolades also have been a part of Bozman's coaching career. She has been named a Regional Coach of the Year three of the past five seasons and was the NFHCA National Coach of the Year in 1996, when she guided Princeton to its first NCAA championship game.

Prior to Princeton, Bozman enjoyed successful coaching stints at James Madison and Hofstra. At Hofstra in 1987 she led the Flying Dutchwomen to a 15-4 record and a No. 18 national ranking in field hockey, while also serving as the head women's lacrosse coach.

A 1976 graduate of Trenton State, Bozman has a bachelor's degree in health and physical education as well as master's degree from Old Dominion where she served a graduate assistantship in 1981. Bozman returned to Trenton State as an assistant coach from 1980-1986, during which the field hockey team won two Division III national championships and was runner-up twice.

Bozman replaces Liz Tchou, who compiled a 76-67 (.531) ledger during her seven years at Duke. She inherits a team that finished 14-9 a year ago and reached the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champion, Wake Forest.