University of Massachusets Athletics
Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2001
Pam Hixon ranks as not only one of the University of Massachusetts' greatest coaches ever, but as one of field hockey's finest, too.
Hixon directed the Massachusetts field hockey program for 17 seasons (1978-93 and 1996) and led her team to postseason play every year. She took the Minutewomen to 14 NCAA Tournaments, one AIAW Tournament and a pair of EAIAW Tournaments. Hixon's teams made four NCAA Final Four appearances, finishing second in 1981, and never had a losing season.
The winningest coach in New England collegiate field hockey history at the time of her retirement, she owns an all-time record of 272-75-18 (.768) and led UMass to four Atlantic 10 Conference titles. Her 272 head coaching victories still ranks among the most in NCAA Division I field hockey history more than 25 years later.
Selected as the national field hockey coach of the year in 1981, Hixon earned six Atlantic 10 coach of the year citations. During her storied career, she coached a national player of the year, a Broderick Award winner, five Broderick Award nominees, 29 all-Americans, 17 first-team all-Atlantic 10 Conference selections, four academic all-Americans and five Olympians.
Hixon was the head coach of the U.S. National Team and the 1996 Olympic Team coach. She led the U.S. to a top three world ranking and is recognized as the most successful national coach in U.S. field hockey history.
In addition to coaching the UMass field hockey team, she served as head coach of the women's lacrosse program for nine seasons, fashioning a 91-30-2 (.748) record. She led the school to its first women's NCAA national championship in school history in 1982.
Hixon was inducted into the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.
