University of New Hampshire Athletics
Megan Shea-Poli Welcomed Back to Coaching Staff
1/24/2022 3:27:00 PM | Field Hockey
Former Wildcat All-American Is Named Associate Head Coach
DURHAM, N.H. – Megan Shea-Poli, a former Wildcat All-American and assistant coach, is rejoining the University of New Hampshire field hockey program as associate head coach. The announcement was made Monday by UNH field hockey head coach Robin Balducci.
"We are thrilled to have Meg coming back to UNH," Balducci said. "She brings a high level of energy and passion for coaching that will have an immediate impact on our program. I am looking forward to working with her again."
Shea-Poli was a four-year standout field hockey player at UNH who garnered All-America Third Team recognition as a senior. At the time of her graduation, Shea-Poli ranked third on UNH's leaderbaord with 99 career points and fourth in career goals with 42; those numbers are currently sixth and seventh, respectively.
Also of note, her 55 points in the '09 season is still No. 4 on the program's list of single-season superlatives and her 23 goals that season is tied at No. 3.
Shea-Poli was a two-time selection to both the Northeast Region First and America East All-Conference First Team, and she was also named the America East Offensive Player of the Year in 2009.
Shea-Poli's other accolades included ECAC All-Star Second Team (2009), All-Conference Second Team (2007), All-Rookie Team (2006) and two-time All-Championship Team (2008, 2009).
Shea-Poli graduated in 2010 with a degree in Sociology and Nutrition and was a UNH assistant coach spanning the 2011-13 seasons. In those three years, the Wildcats won 41 games, including a 14-1 conference record, with two America East tournament titles and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. And UNH was voted Coaching Staff of the Year all three years.
"I am honored and grateful to accept the position as associate head coach at UNH, back where it all started for me and the place I call home," Shea-Poli said. "I am excited to be on the sidelines next to Robin again and to bring my passion, pride and knowledge to this incredible program.
"I would like to thank Robin for always believing in me and being an impactful mentor throughout my coaching journey, and to the UNH administration for welcoming me back with open arms," she added.
Immediately preceding this return to New Hampshire as associate head coach, Shea-Poli was an assistant coach and served as recruiting coordinator at Brown University for the 2021 season.
Shea-Poli served as Merrimack College head coach for four seasons (2017-2021), and that included the program's transition from Division II to Division I. She guided the Warriors to a school-record 18 wins and first ever Northeast-10 championship in 2018 for a two-year mark of 29-11 (.725 winning percentage) at D-II. In the first season at D-I in 2019, the program recorded consecutive wins against Maine and Bryant.
In four years under her leadership, Merrimack had 17 all-conference honorees and placed 14 student-athletes on the NFHCA National Academic Squad. The program also had two All-America First Team selections and one All-America Second Team honoree, as well as an NE10 Defensive Player of the Year and NE10 Goalkeeper of the Year. In Spring 2021, the team was given the Merrimack Athletics Community Service Award.
Prior to her tenure at Merrimack, Shea-Poli was an assistant coach at Northeastern University (2015) and Columbia University (2014). In her stint at Columbia, the Lions recorded 12 wins to mark one of the best seasons in program history and she was part of the Ivy League Staff of the Year.
Shea-Poli also coaches for the USA Field Hockey Women's High Performance training squad in the Northeast Region. Additionally, she has been a head coach in the USA Field Hockey Futures program in both the Northeast and New York sites, and has served on the Division I regional committees for the NFHCA selection process for all regions and All-Americans.
"We are thrilled to have Meg coming back to UNH," Balducci said. "She brings a high level of energy and passion for coaching that will have an immediate impact on our program. I am looking forward to working with her again."
Shea-Poli was a four-year standout field hockey player at UNH who garnered All-America Third Team recognition as a senior. At the time of her graduation, Shea-Poli ranked third on UNH's leaderbaord with 99 career points and fourth in career goals with 42; those numbers are currently sixth and seventh, respectively.
Also of note, her 55 points in the '09 season is still No. 4 on the program's list of single-season superlatives and her 23 goals that season is tied at No. 3.
Shea-Poli was a two-time selection to both the Northeast Region First and America East All-Conference First Team, and she was also named the America East Offensive Player of the Year in 2009.
Shea-Poli's other accolades included ECAC All-Star Second Team (2009), All-Conference Second Team (2007), All-Rookie Team (2006) and two-time All-Championship Team (2008, 2009).
Shea-Poli graduated in 2010 with a degree in Sociology and Nutrition and was a UNH assistant coach spanning the 2011-13 seasons. In those three years, the Wildcats won 41 games, including a 14-1 conference record, with two America East tournament titles and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. And UNH was voted Coaching Staff of the Year all three years.
"I am honored and grateful to accept the position as associate head coach at UNH, back where it all started for me and the place I call home," Shea-Poli said. "I am excited to be on the sidelines next to Robin again and to bring my passion, pride and knowledge to this incredible program.
"I would like to thank Robin for always believing in me and being an impactful mentor throughout my coaching journey, and to the UNH administration for welcoming me back with open arms," she added.
Immediately preceding this return to New Hampshire as associate head coach, Shea-Poli was an assistant coach and served as recruiting coordinator at Brown University for the 2021 season.
Shea-Poli served as Merrimack College head coach for four seasons (2017-2021), and that included the program's transition from Division II to Division I. She guided the Warriors to a school-record 18 wins and first ever Northeast-10 championship in 2018 for a two-year mark of 29-11 (.725 winning percentage) at D-II. In the first season at D-I in 2019, the program recorded consecutive wins against Maine and Bryant.
In four years under her leadership, Merrimack had 17 all-conference honorees and placed 14 student-athletes on the NFHCA National Academic Squad. The program also had two All-America First Team selections and one All-America Second Team honoree, as well as an NE10 Defensive Player of the Year and NE10 Goalkeeper of the Year. In Spring 2021, the team was given the Merrimack Athletics Community Service Award.
Prior to her tenure at Merrimack, Shea-Poli was an assistant coach at Northeastern University (2015) and Columbia University (2014). In her stint at Columbia, the Lions recorded 12 wins to mark one of the best seasons in program history and she was part of the Ivy League Staff of the Year.
Shea-Poli also coaches for the USA Field Hockey Women's High Performance training squad in the Northeast Region. Additionally, she has been a head coach in the USA Field Hockey Futures program in both the Northeast and New York sites, and has served on the Division I regional committees for the NFHCA selection process for all regions and All-Americans.
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