Laurel Martin
Encyclopedia
Laurel Hershey Martin is a former field hockey
player from the United States
, who was a member of the US women's team that finished fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta, Georgia
.
Martin competed in 69 international matches for the United States from 1990–1996, and in two Hockey World Cup
tournaments: in 1990 and as a member of the USA bronze medal team in 1994. She captured a bronze medal at the 1991 Pan American Games
and earned a silver Pan Am medal in 1995. She won a bronze medal at the 1995 Champions Trophy before retiring following the 1996 Olympic Games.
A graduate of Lower Dauphin High School (1987) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, Hershey Martin helped lead the Tar Heels to 1989 NCAA
championship. She was named to the 1990 All-America team and earned NCAA all-tournament honors in 1989.
She was the head field hockey coach at Lebanon Valley College
in Annville, Pennsylvania
from 2001-2011. In those 10 seasons, Martin lead Lebanon Valley to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Final Four and four Elite Eight berths. LVC won the 2006 Commonwealth Conference title under her guidance, one of seven CC title game appearances, and the Dutchmen achieved the nation's #1 ranking in 2010. The two-time NFCA Regional Coach of the Year had 15 all-American and 28 all-Region student-athletes pass through the program.
The 2009 season marked LVC’s fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and third Elite Eight berth in the
last four years as the Dutchmen went 19-4 overall. Martin mentored a pair of all-American forwards in Shelly Lobach
and national scoring leader Jocelyn Novak as LVC went to the NCAA Third Round.
It was another successful season for the Dutchmen in 2008 as Martin guided them to a 19-4 record and a berth in
the NCAA second round. Martin mentored three all-Americans in the process as she led LVC back to the Common-
wealth Conference championship game and into the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight season.
Martin directed LVC to a record-breaking season in 2007, guiding the Dutchmen to their second-straight appear-
ance in the NCAA Division III semifinals after an undefeated regular season, the first in program history. She led the
Dutchmen to a 21-2 overall record (a program record for wins), and the team sported two All-Americans and three
All-Region picks. Martin was honored as the NFHCA Division III South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for the
second straight year.
In 2006, her team captured the Commonwealth Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Division III Final
Four. The team also tied the school record for single-season victories after finishing 20-3, and she was honored as
the NFHCA Division III South Atlantic Region and Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year.
During her nine seasons at the Valley, Martin has led LVC to a stellar 150-47 record, making her the second
all-time winningest coach in program history and one of just two coaches, along with Kathy Tierney, to reach 100
wins. Under Martin, Lebanon Valley has reached the NCAA final four twice, had five NCAA Tournament berths, nine
appearances in the Commonwealth Conference playoffs, and won the 2004 ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship.
In each of the past five seasons, Martin has coached Lebanon Valley to the Commonwealth Conference cham-
pionship game. Her 2005 squad received an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, marking the program’s first
NCAA appearance since the 2000 season.
Martin has coached numerous outstanding athletes during her tenure at Lebanon Valley. Under Martin’s tutelage,
10 players have earned all-America status, as named by the NFHCA. In addition, she has coached 14 players who
have received a total of 20 NFHCA All-Region awards.
A 1991 graduate of North Carolina, Martin was a three-time All-American and played on UNC’s 1989 National
Championship team. In 1990 she was named team captain and the following year Martin competed in the World Cup.
Martin As A Coach
• 150-47 career record (through 2009)
• 58 consecutive top-20 appearances
• 2 NCAA Final Four appearances
• 3 NCAA Quarterfinal appearances
• 5 NCAA Tournament appearances
• 2 Regional Coach of the Year awards
• 1 Commonwealth Conference championship
• 1 ECAC Tournament championship
• 6 Commonwealth Conference title game appearances
• 9 Commonwealth Conference playoff appearances
• 2 Commonwealth Conference Players of the Year
• 3 Commonwealth Conference Rookies of the Year
• 12 NFHCA All-America honorees
• 25 NFHCA All-Region honorees
• 8 Senior All-Star Game players
• 1 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship recipient
Martin As A Player
• 1996 U.S. Olympic Team member
• 2004 inductee to the USFHA Hall of Fame
• 69 international caps
• 2 World Cup appearances (1990 and 1994)
• 3 All-America awards at UNC
• 1 National Championship at UNC
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, who was a member of the US women's team that finished fifth at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
Martin competed in 69 international matches for the United States from 1990–1996, and in two Hockey World Cup
Hockey World Cup
The Hockey World Cup is an international field hockey competition organised by the International Hockey Federation . The tournament was started in 1971...
tournaments: in 1990 and as a member of the USA bronze medal team in 1994. She captured a bronze medal at the 1991 Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
and earned a silver Pan Am medal in 1995. She won a bronze medal at the 1995 Champions Trophy before retiring following the 1996 Olympic Games.
A graduate of Lower Dauphin High School (1987) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, Hershey Martin helped lead the Tar Heels to 1989 NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
championship. She was named to the 1990 All-America team and earned NCAA all-tournament honors in 1989.
She was the head field hockey coach at Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College is a small, liberal arts higher education institution situated in the heart of Annville in Lebanon County, east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.-History:...
in Annville, Pennsylvania
Annville, Pennsylvania
Annville Township is a township and census-designated place in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,518 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Annville Township is located at ....
from 2001-2011. In those 10 seasons, Martin lead Lebanon Valley to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Final Four and four Elite Eight berths. LVC won the 2006 Commonwealth Conference title under her guidance, one of seven CC title game appearances, and the Dutchmen achieved the nation's #1 ranking in 2010. The two-time NFCA Regional Coach of the Year had 15 all-American and 28 all-Region student-athletes pass through the program.
The 2009 season marked LVC’s fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and third Elite Eight berth in the
last four years as the Dutchmen went 19-4 overall. Martin mentored a pair of all-American forwards in Shelly Lobach
and national scoring leader Jocelyn Novak as LVC went to the NCAA Third Round.
It was another successful season for the Dutchmen in 2008 as Martin guided them to a 19-4 record and a berth in
the NCAA second round. Martin mentored three all-Americans in the process as she led LVC back to the Common-
wealth Conference championship game and into the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight season.
Martin directed LVC to a record-breaking season in 2007, guiding the Dutchmen to their second-straight appear-
ance in the NCAA Division III semifinals after an undefeated regular season, the first in program history. She led the
Dutchmen to a 21-2 overall record (a program record for wins), and the team sported two All-Americans and three
All-Region picks. Martin was honored as the NFHCA Division III South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for the
second straight year.
In 2006, her team captured the Commonwealth Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Division III Final
Four. The team also tied the school record for single-season victories after finishing 20-3, and she was honored as
the NFHCA Division III South Atlantic Region and Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year.
During her nine seasons at the Valley, Martin has led LVC to a stellar 150-47 record, making her the second
all-time winningest coach in program history and one of just two coaches, along with Kathy Tierney, to reach 100
wins. Under Martin, Lebanon Valley has reached the NCAA final four twice, had five NCAA Tournament berths, nine
appearances in the Commonwealth Conference playoffs, and won the 2004 ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship.
In each of the past five seasons, Martin has coached Lebanon Valley to the Commonwealth Conference cham-
pionship game. Her 2005 squad received an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament, marking the program’s first
NCAA appearance since the 2000 season.
Martin has coached numerous outstanding athletes during her tenure at Lebanon Valley. Under Martin’s tutelage,
10 players have earned all-America status, as named by the NFHCA. In addition, she has coached 14 players who
have received a total of 20 NFHCA All-Region awards.
A 1991 graduate of North Carolina, Martin was a three-time All-American and played on UNC’s 1989 National
Championship team. In 1990 she was named team captain and the following year Martin competed in the World Cup.
Martin As A Coach
• 150-47 career record (through 2009)
• 58 consecutive top-20 appearances
• 2 NCAA Final Four appearances
• 3 NCAA Quarterfinal appearances
• 5 NCAA Tournament appearances
• 2 Regional Coach of the Year awards
• 1 Commonwealth Conference championship
• 1 ECAC Tournament championship
• 6 Commonwealth Conference title game appearances
• 9 Commonwealth Conference playoff appearances
• 2 Commonwealth Conference Players of the Year
• 3 Commonwealth Conference Rookies of the Year
• 12 NFHCA All-America honorees
• 25 NFHCA All-Region honorees
• 8 Senior All-Star Game players
• 1 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship recipient
Martin As A Player
• 1996 U.S. Olympic Team member
• 2004 inductee to the USFHA Hall of Fame
• 69 international caps
• 2 World Cup appearances (1990 and 1994)
• 3 All-America awards at UNC
• 1 National Championship at UNC