Penn State field hockey head coach Char Morett-Curtiss is retiring after leading the Nittany Lion program since 1987, she announced on Wednesday. She leaves her position following her 39th season as a collegiate head coach this past fall.
A 1979 graduate of Penn State and an All-American and Olympian as a player, she recently led Penn State to an appearance in the 2022 NCAA semifinals. She steps down as one of the sport’s top five all-time wins leaders.
Morett-Curtiss will remain with Penn State Athletics in an advisory capacity, according to the athletic department. She joins former women’s volleyball coach Russ Rose as two notable longterm coaches to have retired in recent years. Rose retired in 2021 after more than 40 years at the helm of that program.
“My heart is filled with gratitude for Penn State,” Morett-Curtiss said. “I came here as a student-athlete in July 1975 and have had countless opportunities to grow and make an impact because of the University and people like Ellen Perry, who hired me, and athletic directors like Tim Curley, Sandy Barbour and Pat Kraft, who have supported Penn State field hockey and me every step of the way.
“It’s the right time. The program is in great shape, coming off the Final Four and a Big Ten Championship, with an experienced staff of Penn Staters, a new stadium on the horizon and an athletic director in Pat Kraft who shares my vision for the program’s future.”
“Char is a Penn State legend,” Kraft said. “She has been the keystone of the Penn State field hockey program from the time she was a student-athlete through an amazing nearly 40-year career as a coach. Her passion for Penn State, Happy Valley, women’s athletics and field hockey, in particular, has shown through in everything she does. She has been a mentor for so many young women, not only making them better field hockey players but preparing them for life after field hockey. She bleeds Blue & White, and while we will miss her on the sidelines, we are excited to have her continue to share her love for Penn State Athletics in her new advisory role.”
Morett-Curtiss’ coaching career began in 1980 as an assistant coach at Old Dominion. Four years later, in 1984, she took the helm of the Boston College Golden Eagles. She led Boston College to a 34-16-8 record during her three seasons there. During that period she also earned spots on the 1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympic teams, winning the bronze with the latter, and was a seven-time member of the U.S. National Team.
She then returned to Happy Valley in 1987 to become Penn State’s fifth head coach, taking over for Gillian Rattray, who she played for as a Nittany Lion.
Penn State concluded this year’s campaign with a 17-4 record, advancing to the national semifinals for the sixth time under Morett-Curtiss’ leadership, winning a share of the 2022 Big Ten Regular-Season Championship. The 2022 team had four NFHCA All-Americans, seven NFHCA All-Region picks and five All-Big Ten honorees.
Morett-Curtiss retires as one of NCAA field hockey’s legendary figures. Her accomplishments as a coach are extensive:
- 575-239-16 career record as a head coach
- 575 career wins (541 at Penn State and 34 at Boston College) are in the NCAA’s top five all-time
- 30 NCAA appearances, including six trips to the national semifinals and two to the national championship game, rank among the top five all-time
- Eight Big Ten regular-season titles and two Atlantic 10 regular-season crowns
- Six Big Ten Tournament Championships and two Atlantic 10 Tournament Championships
- Eight-time NFHCA Mideast Region Coach of the Year
- Seven-time Big Ten Coach of the Year
“I hope I will be remembered as a coach who cared, who inspired my players and all Penn Staters, and who had a great deal of fun along the way, from singing on the bus, dancing in the locker room, and cheering in Beaver Stadium,” Morett-Curtiss said. “It all began with Gillian Rattray, who believed in me as a high school recruit, then as a college athlete in two sports and then as a coach. Fellow coaches like Joe Paterno and Russ Rose lifted and helped guide me. I have been blessed to work alongside very talented and caring assistant coaches, three of whom with deep roots in Penn State field hockey – Lisa Bervinchak Love, Laura Gebhart, Annie Zinkavich, as well as Stuart Smith. More recently, it has been an honor for me to work alongside the many talented and passionate head coaches who I see every day here at Penn State. They are more than coaching peers to me, they are confidants, inspirations and true friends.
“I love Penn State and will always be grateful to so many people that have touched my life in Happy Valley.”
