Erin Matson - Field Hockey, University of North Carolina

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The world of sports is full of inspiring stories of athletes who transcend their playing days to make a lasting impact as coaches. One such extraordinary individual is Erin Matson, whose journey from being a standout field hockey player at the University of North Carolina (UNC) to becoming the championship-winning head coach of the very same program is nothing short of remarkable.

Matson's journey began as an exceptional field hockey player at UNC, where she was one of the team's key players. She played a pivotal role in the Tar Heels' success, having three undefeated seasons, earning the Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey three times and helping the team clinch four national championships during her time as a player.

Shortly after graduating, Matson became the head coach and her championship pedigree has paid off once again. On Sunday,  November 19th, Matson became the youngest collegiate head coach to win a national championship at just 23 years old.

She led her team in a shootout to beat the Northwestern Wildcats in a thrilling double-overtime victory, marking a historic moment in Matson's very young coaching career. “I don’t know how to put it into words,” Matson said to GoHeels.com.

Just because you were a good player doesn’t necessarily make you a good coach but in this case she is. Congratulations to Erin Matson, our Top perFORMer of the month. What a notable journey from field hockey player to championship-winning Head Coach!

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