An NCAA head coach at the age of 22? Yes, Why Not?

8 min read

While sitting in his office going over next year’s athletic school budget, North Carolina's athletic director, Bubba Cunningham heard a knock at the door. Before he could ask who, it was, Erin Matson, a member of the UNC field hockey team, came marching in. Without hesitation Erin looked Bubb straight in the eye and said “I want to be considered for the university’s field hockey coach position”. There was one small problem, the job wasn’t open.

Welcome to That's Life, I Swear.  This podcast is about life's happenings in this world that conjure up such words as intriguing, frightening, life-changing, inspiring, and more. I'm Rick Barron your host. 

That said, here's the rest of this story  

Erin Matson's remarkable pursuit to going from a star field hockey player, to wanting to achieve being considered to being the youngest head coach in any Division I sport at the age of 22, is a story of immense audacity, downright determination, and the pursuit of a dream. 

Erin Matson on the hokey field. Courtesy of: Mainline Today

Matson is easily the most decorated player in NCAA field hockey; she’s a three-time Honda Sport Award recipient, three times, and won four national titles and five conference championships.

For Erin, field hockey isn’t just a sport, it’s a passion. She started playing field hockey at the age of 6, which makes it 17 years, Erin had been crafting her talent. 

She joined the WC Eagles at the age of 9, which was a field hockey club in Spring City, Pennsylvania. As fate would have it, during one of Erins’s games in 2009, Coach Karen Shelton of the North Carolina Field Hockey team was in attendance. 

As the coach watched Erin weave in and out on the field, she liked what she saw. Watching Erins instincts and how she handled herself told Coach Shelton, there was something about that girl that told her she’s a born natural.  The coach kept tabs with Erin thereafter, inviting her to University of North Carolina’s camp three years later. 

Improving her skills even more, at the age of 16, she became the youngest player to make the U.S. National team.  Additionally, she was the second UNC player to be named first-team All-America after her freshman season and continued to win the honor three more times.

Erin in her early years as a player. Courtesy of: Mainline Today

Ok, fast forward to August 2022, where Matson, boldly walks into the office of North Carolina's athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, proposing an unlikely candidate for the school's next field hockey coach: herself. The audacity of the proposition lay in the fact that Matson was still an active member of the team.

Cunningham, intrigued by Matson's proposal, challenged her to achieve a lofty goal before he would consider her coaching aspirations—win a national championship. Fearless when someone threw a challenge at her, Erin stepped up to her mission to punctuate her legendary playing career with a fourth title. 

North Carolina went on to beat Northwestern, 2-1. It was North Carolina’s fifth championship title in a roll, their tenth over all. After achieving this feat, celebrating with a symbolic gesture reminiscent of Michael Jordan, Matson returned to Cunningham’s office, ready to discuss her coaching ambitions.

She was matter of fact with Cunningham when she said, “ok, we did what you challenged us to do. Again, I want to talk about the coaching position. What’s it going to take to earn this?”

One problem. Coach Shelton still held the job, thus there was no job to backfill. Fortunately for Erin, her timing was spot on. After forty plus years at the helm, Coach Shelton realized it was time to let go and retire. 

Karen Shelton was the most successful coach in D1 NCAA field hockey, winning 10 national championships in her 42 years at the helm of the program. Her 10th and final championship came during the 2022 season, her final campaign before retirement.

To her credit, Shelton built the North Carolina field hockey program, brick by brick. The program was only 10 years old when she took over; and the legendary coach ended her tenure with a nationally recognized program and a new field hockey stadium with her name emblazoned on the walls.

If that wasn’t enough, Shelton won a bronze medal in field hockey, at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Drop the mic. 

Let’s get back to Cunningham. He wasn't initially convinced that Matson was ready for the role, considering her lack of coaching experience. With Shelton's illustrious 42-year coaching tenure and 10 national championships in mind, Cunningham questioned the justification for replacing her with someone without prior coaching credentials. 

The dilemma extended beyond field hockey, raising concerns about passing over experienced coaches for someone without a conventional career background. 

To sway Cunningham, Matson crafted a second résumé outlining her coaching vision. She highlighted her role as a de facto player coach for the Tar Heels, showcasing her leadership in various camps and clinics where she served as the primary teacher. 

Additionally, Matson emphasized her experience navigating the new NCAA rules allowing athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness, offering insights into how she could guide future players in this evolving landscape.

Cunningham's realization of Matson's seriousness about coaching became evident when he found her seeking advice from football coach Mack Brown, showcasing her proactive approach to learning and growth.

Would he regret his decision if he hired her?

Coach Shelton, recognizing Matson's "it" factor, vouched for her suitability for the coaching role, emphasizing the intangible qualities that transcend age and professional background. Matson's mission was to convince Cunningham of her coaching prowess, demonstrating that her exceptional playing career translated into the potential to lead and inspire others.

Guess you could say Coach Shelton saw some parallels, with her and Erin.

Along with their close personal relationship, both were members of the U.S. national team and are the only two to be named Honda Sport Award winners three times each. Another interesting fact. Coach Shelton was hired at the age of 23 for the UNC coaching position. Erin, who was but 22, could become the youngest coach if they got the job. 

However, the field hockey landscape, and women's sports altogether, was very different when Shelton took over as the program's fifth head coach in 1981, the year of the first NCAA championship for the sport. Field hockey was one of the original women's sports at UNC, and none of the women's coaches were hired as full-time employees.

When Shelton took on the program it was only 10 years old.

After multiple rounds of interviews, Erin found out she was one of three finalists for the coaching job. The waiting for the news if she would get the job, felt like an eternity. Perhaps she was too young, and being a super star hockey player didn’t carry as much weight as she hoped for.

Seventy-two days after Matson hung up her uniform for the last time in the locker room, and just a month after graduating with a degree in advertising and public relations, Cunningham surprised Erin when he offered her the coaching position.

Despite interviewing numerous candidates, Cunningham ultimately concluded that Matson's ability to connect with the next generation of field hockey players set her apart. He addressed any concerns about her lack of coaching experience by planning to surround her with experienced assistant coaches.

What’s that saying, be careful what you wish for.

Coach Karen Shelton. Courtesy of: Tar Heel Times

This move made Matson not only the youngest head coach in any Division I sport but also made her understand she was succeeding one hell of a coach. Karen Shelton was a nine-time national coach of the year. She retired with a career record of 745-172-9 and ranks as the winningest coach in the sport's collegiate field hockey history.  

The significance of this of this situation is like basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stepping into the great UCLA Basketball coach John Wooden's shoes. 

Erin found herself in somewhat unfamiliar territory. Reflecting on the shift from living with college peers to coaching them.

This unexpected outcome defied conventional expectations, considering Matson's longstanding commitment to the national field hockey team and her childhood dream of representing the U.S. at the Olympics.

The catalyst for this career shift emerged when Matson's desire to coach took precedence over Olympic aspirations. The decision to step into Shelton's shoes as head coach became clear to Matson, overshadowing all other considerations. She abandoned her pursuit of Olympic qualification, refrained from applying for other jobs, and focused solely on realizing her coaching ambitions.

Passing on her Olympic dreams wasn’t a difficult decision for her. For her there was no guarantee the U.S. field hockey team even qualifies for the 2024 Paris Games, thus her decision to go after the coaching job was easier. Plus, her true passion was to coach the North Carolina hockey team. 

While Matson's credentials as a field hockey genius were unquestionable, and widely regarded as one of the best players of all time, coaching presented a new challenge. 

Matson acknowledged that great players don't necessarily make great coaches and realized that she needed to teach in a way that others could understand, moving beyond simply imparting her own playing style. What looked like a slam dunk was proving to be all new territory with a lot to learn. 

Matson, admitted the strangeness of her new role, now coaching former peers and engaged in difficult conversations about playing time and scholarship money with players who were recently her teammates. 

In a testament to Matson's unique coaching style, her players, accustomed to calling her by her first name, occasionally slip into addressing her as "Coach," adding a humorous touch to the evolving dynamics. As Matson continued to defy expectations and shape the future of North Carolina field hockey, her journey stands as an inspiring example of daring to pursue one's dreams, even when the path diverges from the expected trajectory. 

Matson, now at the helm of the North Carolina field hockey program, found herself in a familiar position. It was 2023 and North Carolina was on the verge of another national championship. In her rookie season as a coach, she led the Tar Heels to the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament, navigating the transition from player to coach with former teammates now under her guidance. 

For now, she justified UNC’s faith in her.

It was one thing to make it to the NCAA tournament, but would she prove Cunningham wrong and take the team to yet another title? 

On November 19, 2023, the Tar Heels made to the championship round playing their rival, Northwestern, which was ranked number 1 and North Carolina number 2.

After completing the regulation game, it was a 1-1 tie. First OT didn’t see a score for either team. Time for a break and the North Carolina team to gather their thoughts. Could they do this, especially since they were playing on their home field? The whistle blows for the second OT to begin. 

In the second round of the shootout, Peyton Halsey missed the first shot, followed by UNC's sophomore, Ryleigh Heck, who, with her back to the goal, dribbled the ball around Northwestern’s goal keeper Annabel Skubisz and shot it to the right side for the winning goal. You could’ve heard a pin drop, and then the cheering amplified big time! 

Erin celebrating her first NCAA Championship as head coach. Courtesy of Mainline Today

In her first year at the helm of the UNC field hockey program, Erin Matson became the youngest rookie head college coach to win a national championship. The Tar Heels finished 18-3 (5-1 ACC) on the season and won their sixth consecutive ACC title enroute to their 11th program national championship; their fifth in six years.

Perhaps this may be the beginning of the Erin Matson era. 

What can we learn from this story? What's the takeaway?

Erin Matson harbored a conviction – a belief not only in her coaching abilities for a field hockey team but in her capacity to elevate it to the pinnacle of success. Renowned as one of the most influential recruiting assets in collegiate field hockey, Matson's credentials include being the all-time leading scorer in both ACC and NCAA tournament history, as well as clinching game-winners while representing Team USA in international competitions. Her name resonates strongly with potential recruits.

Coach Karen Shelton's legacy. Courtesy of: NC Chapel Hill

Coach Shelton, acknowledging Matson's unique qualities, remarked, "She possesses relatability, connecting not only with her peers but also with younger kids. She stands as a role model." Adding to Matson's credibility is the Carolina blue brand. The Karen Shelton Stadium and its accompanying field hockey facility, established within the past five years, contribute to the program's overall success. Historically, this success has attracted some of the most elite athletes from clubs across the United States and overseas.

For Erin Matson, when she walked into Cunningham’s office to state her conviction for wanting something she deeply believed in, is a lesson we can all learn about believing in oneself. Never be afraid, never doubt, just go after it.

Well, there you go, my friends; that's life, I swear

For further information regarding the material covered in this episode, I invite you to visit my website, which you can find on either Apple Podcasts/iTunes or Google Podcasts, for show notes calling out key pieces of content mentioned and the episode transcript.

As always, I thank you for listening and your interest. 

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