After 15 seasons with the Princeton Tigers, Beth Bozman resigned last week as the coach of the women’s field hockey team. Bozman is leaving to fill the head coaching position at Duke.
Bozman had a stellar career at Princeton, leading the Tigers to 10 Ivy League championships. She also had an unprecedented nine-year conference championship streak, running from 1994-2002. This year’s campaign was the team’s third consecutive perfect league season, with the team earning a 52-1 win record over their nine-year championship reign.
Bozman’s record over her 15 year tenure with the program was 203-76-6, and she leaves the ivies with an impressive 80-13-3 conference record.
Besides losing Bozman in 2003, Princeton graduates three accomplished players in goalkeeper Kelly Baril, defender Emily Townsend and attack Ilvy Friebe. All three were selected as All-Americans by the National Field Hockey Association.
With Bozman out of the Ivy League, there are numerous questions as to how the Tigers will fare next year, and if they will be able to repeat as league Champions. Cornell head coach Michelle Tambroni saw the situation in a mixed light, particularly on how a new coach could effect the Tigers’ style of play.
“If it’s someone young and excellent, they’ll only make [the team] better,” said Tambroni. Still, she remained anxious over the opportunities, stating that the void “shakes up the Ivies a little bit.”
Those who wonder how Bozman’s departure affects the Red immediately need only to look at next year’s recruiting class. Tambroni feels that the Tigers’ instability will only serve to push players away from Princeton.
“It will open up recruiting a bit more,” Tambroni said. “The newness of a coach often steers people to other programs.”
Archived article by Sun Staff