University of Delaware Athletics
Field Hockey
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- kerkhof@udel.edu
Rolf van de Kerkhof continues to lead the University of Delaware field hockey program to national prominence on the field and in the classroom as he enters his 14th season as the team's head coach during the 2024-25Â academic slate.
Hired in December 2010, Van de Kerkhof (pronounced ‘van—duh—kirk—off') is just the sixth head coach in the history of Delaware field hockey and holds an all-time record of 159-86 (.649) on the turf with the Blue Hens.
During his tenure, the Hens have garnered one National Championship (2016), nine Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Championships (2013-17; 2019-22) and six CAA regular season titles (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022) while appearing in the CAA Tournament and reaching NFHCA National Academic Team status in each of his 13 seasons. Delaware has also featured 27 All-Americans, 45 All-Region honorees, one CWSA Honda Sport Award selection, one CAA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, six CAA Players of the Year, five CAA Rookies of the Year, 58 All-CAA performers, 22 CAA All-Rookie Team picks with 153 NFHCA National Academic Squad members and 26 NFHCA Division I Scholars of Distinction.
Additionally, Van de Kerkhof and his staff have also garnered three CAA Coach of the Year, two NFHCA Regional Coach of the Year and one NFHCA Division I Coach of the Year awards.
In 2023, van de Kerkhof coached five All-CAA award winners in Berber Bakermans (First Team), Genevieve Johnson and Noelle Sabbagh (Second Team), and Rachael Whitehead and Kate Fiest (All-Rookie Team). Bakermans was also named Mid-Atlantic Region First Team. The Blue Hens enjoyed wins over No. 18-ranked ODU and NCAA tournment participant American.
The Blue Hens captured their sixth conference regular season championship, and nine conference tournament championship in the last 10 seasons in 2022. Delaware finished the regular season winning six of its final nine games, including a 5-1 record in the CAA. The Blue Hens proceeded to defeat both Northeastern and Drexel 6-1 in the CAA Tournament at Delaware Stadium. The Blue Hens used this momentum to capture its second straight season with an NCAA Tournament victory, defeating Lehigh 4-0. Individually, the Blue Hens notched four spots on the All-CAA team, and two athletes on the CAA All-Rookie team. UD also landed four athletes on the NFHCA All-Region team. Julia Duffhuis led the way for the Blue Hens. She was named the Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, she also made the All-CAA, and CAA Tournament teams, as well as a spot on the NFHCA All-Region team, and was a Second Team All-American. Ashlyn Carr named the CAA Tournament MVP.Â
Fall 2021 saw the Blue Hens win their third consecutive conference tournament in a row. After starting the season 2-6, the Blue Hens finished the season with an 8-2 record, including a 5-1 record in the CAA. This led to the two seed in the conference tournament. The Blue Hens proceeded to defeat third seed William & Mary and top seed James Madison 3-1 in the CAA tournament. The Blue Hens proceeded to defeat Fairfield 4-3 in OT in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Julia Duffhuis led a stacked Blue Hens squad where she was named to the All-CAA team, All-Region team, and All-EAC team, as well as Tournament MVP, and Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Duffuis, and Femke Strien were selected as All-American’s as well. As a team, the Blue Hens landed four players on the All-CAA team, and CAA Tournament team, as well as three athletes on the NFHCA All-Region team. UD led the conference in goals, assists, and points.Â
In the spring of 2021, the Blue Hens won their second conference tournament in a row after defeating James Madison in a thrilling 3-2 victory in OT. This led to a spot in the NCAA Tournament. UD finished the season 6-4 overall, and 3-2 in the CAA. Delaware led the CAA in goals, assists, points, and shots. Individually, the Hens boasted four athletes on the All-CAA team and CAA All-Tournament team, and two to the CAA All-Rookie team. Femke Strien was named the CAA’s tournament MVP, and Julia Duffhuis was named the Conferences Rookie of the Year. Additionally, Strien, Julia Duffhuis, Berber Bakermans, and Grace Hoepner were selected to the NFHCA All-Region team.Â
The Blue Hens regained their CAA Tournament title in 2019 to go along with their fifth CAA regular season championship under Van de Kerkhof and fourth consecutive year with an undefeated conference record (6-0) while going 16-4 overall. UD finished the year ranked in the Top 15 of eight NCAA statistical categories (scoring average, goals per game, goals against average, scoring margin, shutouts per game, winning percentage, assists per game, points per game). The Hens boasted the CAA Player of the Year (Femke Strien) for the fourth straight season while garnering eight All-CAA honorees, four All-Region selections and one First Team All-American (Strien).
During the 2018 campaign, Delaware compiled an overall record of 13-7 while going undefeated (6-0) in CAA play for the third straight year. The Hens led the conference in 12 statistical categories while ranking in the Top 20 of seven NCAA categories (scoring average, goals per game, scoring margin, assists per game, winning percentage, points per game, penalty corners per game).
In 2017, the Blue Hens collected their fifth straight CAA Tournament crown while finishing the year with a 15-5 overall record and going undefeated (5-0) for the second straight season. Delaware ranked in the Top 10 of nine NCAA statistical categories (scoring average, goals per game, goals against average, scoring margin, winning percentage, assists per game, points per game, save percentage, defensive saves) and 15 CAA categories while setting the school-record with 13 defensive saves.
UD also had two student-athletes earn All-American (Greta Nauck, Taylor Lister) and four All-Region (Lisa Giezeman, Greta Nauck, Taylor Lister, Lotte de Koning) status while senior goalie Emmeline Oltmans was tabbed the program's first-ever CAA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Van de Kerkhof guided the Hens to new heights during the 2016 campaign as Delaware captured the program's first-ever NCAA Division I Championship title, which was also the first for a University of Delaware women's athletics team since the women's lacrosse squad picked up the NCAA title in 1983. The Hens defeated No. 9 Louisville, No. 1 Duke, No. 14 Princeton and No. 4 North Carolina by a total of four goals, including one overtime win, en route to the championship banner.
Additionally, the Blue Hens posted a team-record and nation-best 23 victories and 90.2 winning percentage en route to their fourth straight CAA crown. UD logged an outstanding scoring margin of 100-39 and was ranked in the Top 10 of seven total NCAA statistical categories (winning percentage, scoring average, goals per game, points per game, scoring margin, assists per game, defensive saves).
Delaware featured two All-Americans and four All-Region honorees, including the school's second-ever CWSA Honda Sport Award winner in Greta Nauck. The sophomore midfielder led the nation and set new school single-season records in points per game (3.04) and goals per game (1.32) while setting other program records in game-winning goals (10), shots (148) and shots on goal (98).
Fellow All-American Esmée Peet was recognized both for her play on the field and her work in the classroom as the program's third CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year while junior forward Taylor Lister was named to the U.S. Field Hockey Developmental Squad during the summer of 2017.Â
The team was celebrated as the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association Team of the Year while also receiving NFHCA National Academic Team honors after notching a remarkable 3.43 team GPA during the championship run.
Van de Kerkhof and his coaching staff, which consisted of Missy Arenz, Jordan McKee and Jacki Coveleski, brought home all of the 2016 coaching honors as the Blue Hens earned NFHCA Division I Coach of the Year, CAA Coach of the Year, ECAC Eastern Coach of the Year and NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year accolades.
The Blue Hens picked up their third straight CAA title in 2015 after defeating No. 16 and top-seeded James Madison, 2-1, in overtime in Harrisonburg, Va. In the team's seventh overall trip to NCAA postseason action, Delaware's season ended in a heartbreaking 4-3 overtime loss at No. 4 Virginia, the team's second overtime game against the Cavs in less than a month.
During the 2014 season, Van de Kerkhof and his Hens captured their second consecutive CAA title en route to the sixth NCAA Tournament berth in school history.
Despite losing five talented seniors from the previous year's NCAA team, the 2014 squad finished the year with a mark of 13-9 while going 4-2 in league action. The No. 2 seed in the CAA Tournament, Delaware prevailed for the program's fourth CAA Championship.
Van de Kerkhof, a native of The Netherlands, led Delaware to an outstanding campaign in 2013. The team posted a program record of 17-5 while claiming the CAA regular season and tournament titles on the way to the program's fifth NCAA Tournament berth. Additionally, the Hens earned a Top 20 ranking in the NFHCA Coaches Poll.
For their efforts, Van de Kerkhof, alongside assistants Lynn Farquar, Kim Kinsella and Missy Woodie, earned recognition as the NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year and CAA Co-Coach of the Year.
Van de Kerkhof came to Newark, Del. following a 12-year stint as an assistant and head coach at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. He became the Spartans assistant in 1999 before being named the head coach in 2006. Van de Kerkhof holds a career record of 160-79 over 11 seasons at Delaware and Michigan State.
In total, Van de Kerkhof brings more than 30 years of playing and coaching experience to the Blue Hens. In addition to his time at Michigan State, he spent 16 years playing field hockey, obtaining experience as a goalkeeper, defender and midfielder. In August of 1999, he gave up his playing career to become a full-time coach at the intercollegiate level.
Prior to being named the Michigan State head coach in February 2006, he spent seven seasons as the team's top assistant coach. During his time at MSU, he helped the Spartans put together the most successful era of the program's history and compiled an overall record of 180-80 as both an assistant and head coach. His five-year record as head coach at Michigan State stood at 74-34, including an impressive 33-10 mark over the final two seasons.
The Spartans made eight trips (four as a head coach) to the NCAA Tournament. Just before joining the Hens, Van de Kerkhof guided the 2010 Michigan State program to a 15-6 overall record and NCAA Championship first round appearance.
After leading the Spartans to both the Big Ten regular season and the Big Ten Tournament titles in 2009, Van de Kerkhof was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year. The team finished the season with a record of 18-4 and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, where, after defeating Delaware, it fell to Virginia, 3-2. Following the 2009 season, Van de Kerkhof was also named the NFHCA West Regional Coach of the Year.
As a Spartan assistant, Van de Kerkhof helped guide the team to two trips to the Final Four and another two into the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. MSU's finest season came in 2002, with an overall record of 23-3 and a trip to the Final Four for the first time in program history.
He earned a degree in sports, economics and communication at the Fonty's Hogeschool in Tilburg, The Netherlands, in 1996 and also graduated with two official coaching degrees offered by the Royal Netherlands National Field Hockey Association in 1997 and 1998. During the 1998 Field Hockey World Cup in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Van de Kerkhof was in charge of World Cup projects for Whise International Coaching Experts and Brabo International Hockey Equipment.
WITH: Since 2000, Van de Kerkhof has been involved in USA Field Hockey Olympic development through their Future’s and NEXUS programs, coaching Future Elite teams in The Netherlands (2003-2007), coaching Junior Olympics, coaching NEXUS Tournaments, and selecting at Future’s/NEXUS Championships.
 Since 2007, Van de Kerkhof started Hockey Fun summer travel camps around the US with camps in WI, IL, MI, OH, NY, PA, NJ, MD, VA and DE. He also enjoys volunteering for charity organizations such as Greg Gephart Fund in Houston TX and Special Olympics of Delaware. In 2019 his wife Mary started Empower Field Hockey Club & Academy, which Van de Kerkhof is assisting in as the Technical Director.
He and his wife, Mary, reside in Newark with their four children, Sebastiaan, Mark, Lieve and Anneke.
  Van de Kerkhof's Career Year-by-Year Head Coaching Record |
||||
| Year | School | Record | Conf. Record (Finish) | Highlights |
|  2006 |  Michigan State |  8-12 |  1-5 (7th) |  Big Ten Semifinals  NFHCA National Academic Team / Top 5 Performer |
|  2007 |  Michigan State |  16-6 |  5-1 (2nd) |  Big Ten Semifinals  NCAA Tournament  NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  2008 |  Michigan State |  17-6 |  4-2 (3rd) |  Big Ten Semifinals  NCAA Quarterfinals  NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  2009 |  Michigan State |  18-4 |  6-0 (1st) |  Big Ten Champions  NCAA Quarterfinals  Big Ten Coach of the Year  NFHCA West Regional Coach of the Year  NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  2010 |  Michigan State |  15-6 |  3-3 (4th) |  Big Ten Semifinals  NCAA Tournament  NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  2011 |  Delaware |  9-11 |  4-4 (4th) |  CAA Quarterfinals  NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  2012 |  Delaware |  8-12 |  3-4 (5th) |  CAA Semifinals  NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  2013 |  Delaware |  17-5 |  6-0 (1st) |  CAA Regular Season Champions  CAA Tournament Champions  NCAA Tournament  CAA Co-Coach of the Year  NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year  NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  2014 |  Delaware |  13-9 |  4-2 (2nd) |  CAA Tournament Champions  NCAA Tournament  NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  2015 |  Delaware |  16-6 |  4-2 (2nd) |  CAA Tournament Champions  NCAA Tournament  NFHCA National Academic Team |
| Â 2016 | Â Delaware | Â 23-2 | Â 6-0 (1st) |
 NCAA Champions |
| 2017 | Delaware | 15-5 | 5-0 (1st) |  CAA Regular Season Champions  CAA Tournament Champions  NCAA Tournament  CAA Coach of the Year  NFHCA National Academic Team |
| 2018 | Delaware | 13-7 | 6-0 (1st) |  CAA Regular Season Champions  NFHCA National Academic Team |
| 2019 | Delaware | 16-4 | 6-0 (1st) |  CAA Regular Season Champions  CAA Tournament Champions  NCAA Tournament  NFHCA National Academic Team |
| 2020* | Delaware | 6-4 | 3-2 (3rd) | CAA Tournament Champions NCAA Tournament NFHCA National Acadedmic Team |
| 2021 | Delaware | 13-9 | 5-1 (2nd) | CAA Tournament Champions NCAA Tournament NFHCA National Acadedmic Team |
| 2022 | Delaware | 10-12 | 5-1 (T1) | CAA Tournament Champions NCAA Tournament NFHCA National Academic Team |
|  Delaware | 11 Seasons |  159-86 (.648) |  57-16 (.781) | 1 NCAA Championship 6 CAA Regular Season Titles 6 CAA Tournament Titles 10 NCAA Tournament Appearances  12 CAA Tournament Appearances |
| Â MSU | Â Five Seasons | Â 74-34 (.685) | Â 19-11 (.633) |
4 NCAA Tournament Appearances |
|  Career |  16 Seasons |  233-120 (.660) |  76-27 (.737) |  4x Conference Coach of the Year  3x NFHCA Regional Coach of the Year  1x NFHCA Division I Coach of the Year |
* 2020 season played in Spring 2021 due to COVID-19 Pandemic
