Saint Michael's College

Carla Hesler enters her 27th year at the helm of the Saint Michael's field hockey program in 2025. Hesler is the only coach in the history of Saint Michael's Athletics to own the most victories with two different programs, having also previously guided the women's lacrosse program. The 2025 season is her 39th as a college field hockey head coach, and she claims 15 additional years as a college lacrosse head coach. Hesler also previously served the College as the recreation sports coordinator.

Hesler brought a wealth of field hockey experience with her to Saint Michael's, previously leading teams at Division I Colgate University and Yale University. She also worked as an assistant coach at Division I Boston College, Brown University, Northeastern University, Old Dominion University and Princeton University.

Hesler has been actively involved in the United States Field Hockey Association (USFHA) developmental programs, including acting as an instructor at the USA Field Hockey A, B and C Camps. She was the head coach of the USA Under-21 national team that competed in Seoul, Korea, in 1997. Hesler has coached within the USFHA Futures Program since 1990, serving as the Atlantic Region coaching director between 1990 and 1995, while hosting Region 1 tournaments at Saint Michael's.

Hesler is a 2007 graduate of the NCAA Women's Coaches' Academy and, on Nov. 1, 2009, was inducted into the New Agenda: Northeast Women's Hall of Fame, an award that honors those who have promoted sport for girls and women in New England as a coach, official and/or advocate. She also graduated from the Women's Coaches Academy and the Dimension 2 program, which are both sponsored by the NCAA and the WinStar Foundation. Hesler has earned her USA Field Hockey Level II certification.

A 1982 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, the Lynnfield, Mass., native played both field hockey and lacrosse as an undergraduate, and was a member of the U.S. National Field Hockey Squad from 1979 to 1982. She participated in three National Sports Festivals in the early 1980s and was named an All-America in 1979 and 1981. Hesler was named UNH's Female Athlete of the Year in 1982 and was inducted into the UNH Athletics Hall of Fame in November 2001.

Saint Michael's College Field Hockey Head Coach, 1999-Present (27th Season)

• 271 Career Wins as College Field Hockey Head Coach (39th Season)
• Program's All-Time Winningest Head Coach (188)
• 1 NFHCA North Region Coach of the Year Honor (2000)
• 2 NE10 Coach of the Year Honors (2000, 2002)
• 2 NCAA Tournament Final Four Appearances (2000, 2001)
• 2 NE10 Championship Finals Appearances (2000, 2001)
• 6 NE10 Championship Semifinals (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007)
• 3 NE10 Regular-Season Championships (2000, 2001, 2002)
• 25 NFHCA All-America Honorees
• 1 ECAC Division II Player of the Year
• 9 ECAC Division II All-Star Honorees
• 1 NE10 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• 3 NE10 Players of the Year
• 4 NE10 Defensive Players of the Year
• 3 NE10 Goalkeepers of the Year
• 57 NE10 All-Conference Honorees
• 1 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Honoree
• 2 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Honorees
• 26 NFHCA Scholars of Distinction
• 286 NFHCA National Academic Squad Qualifiers
• 36 NE10 Academic All-Conference Honorees
• Highest NFHCA National Poll Rankings: 1999 (8th), 2000 (2nd), 2001 (7th), 2002 (4th), 2003 (9th), 2004 (9th), 2005 (8th), 2008 (6th), 2014 (9th)
• 19 NFHCA National Academic Team Awards (2003-2021)

Saint Michael's College Women's Lacrosse Head Coach, 2001-2010 (10 Seasons)

• Program's All-Time Winningest Head Coach (64)
• 4 NE10 Championship Semifinals (2002, 2003, 2004, 2008)
• 1 IWLCA All-America Honoree
• 8 IWLCA All-North Region Honorees
• 23 NE10 All-Conference Honorees
• 1 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Honoree
• 7 IWLCA Academic Honor Roll Qualifiers
• 9 NE10 Academic All-Conference Honorees
• 1 IWLCA Academic Squad Team Award (2008)

Princeton (New Jersey) University Women's Lacrosse Assistant Coach, 1999 (1 Season)

• 12-5 overall, 6-1 Ivy League records
• 1 NCAA Tournament (1999)
• 4 IWLCA All-America Honorees
• 1 Ivy League Player of the Year
• 9 Ivy League All-Conference Honorees
• 1 Academic All-Ivy Honoree
• 1999: Ranked as high as 3rd in Division I

Princeton (New Jersey) University Field Hockey Assistant Coach, 1998 (1 Season)

• 17-3 overall, 7-0 Ivy League records
• 1 NCAA Tournament Semifinal (1998)
• 1 Ivy League Regular-Season Championship (1998)
• 4 All-America Honorees
• 1 Ivy League Player of the Year
• 8 Ivy League All-Conference Honorees

Yale (Connecticut) University Field Hockey Head Coach, 1989-1996 (8 Seasons)

• 1 ECAC Tournament Appearance (1995)
• 1 Ivy League Player of the Year
• 26 Ivy League All-Conference Honorees

Colgate (New York) University Field Hockey Head Coach, 1985-1988 (4 Seasons)

• 34-32-5 overall record
• 4 NFHCA All-Mideast Region Honorees
• 1 NFHCA National Academic Squad Qualifier

Colgate (New York) University Women's Lacrosse Head Coach, 1986-1989 (4 Seasons)

• 36-23 overall record
• 2 New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament Finals (1986, 1987)
• 5 IWLCA All-America Honorees
• 16 IWLCA All-Northeast Region Honorees

Boston College Field Hockey Assistant Coach, 1984 (1 Season)

• 13-4-1 overall record

Northeastern University Field Hockey Assistant Coach, 1983 (1 Season)

• 11-11 overall record
• 1 ECAC Tournament Appearance (1983)

Old Dominion (Virginia) University Women's Lacrosse Head Coach, 1983 (1 Season)

Old Dominion (Virginia) University Field Hockey Assistant Coach, 1982 (1 Season)

• 20-1 overall record
• 1982 NCAA Division I National Champion
• 1 Honda Award Honoree
• 3 All-America Honorees