Staff Directory

Sydney Rhodes-James

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:

Sydney Rhodes-James will begin her second campaign as an assistant coach with the Delaware field hockey program for the 2026 season after being hired in July 2025.

During her first campaign, Delaware joined the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), where Kinzel helped the Hens to a 2-1 victory over UC Davis in the conference's inaugural championship. This was the fifth conference championship Rhodes-James has been a part of as a Fightin' Blue Hen.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sydney back to the University of Delaware as a volunteer assistant coach," Zollinger said. "As a member of the 2016 national championship team, Sydney embodies the dedication, resilience, and excellence that defines our Blue Hen field hockey program. Our current student-athletes will undoubtedly benefit from her insights and be inspired by her championship experience."

The Delaware alum was a five-year goalie for the Blue Hens, who made 50 appearances, including nine during the Hen's run to capturing the 2016 NCAA Division I Championship. She graduated in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in health behavior science from Delaware's College of Health Sciences.

"I am extremely grateful and excited to be able to come back to the University of Delaware," Rhodes-James said. "I'm looking forward to working with Tara, as she has had tremendous success in her field hockey career. My five seasons as a Blue Hen, including winning the national championship, were truly special. I want to share both that joy and success with the program and its current players."

Rhodes-James started her coaching experience working with Harford Hockey Organization (H20) in Harford County, Md., in 2014, a position she held through 2021.

Her collegiate coaching experience includes time as an assistant coach with the University of Pennsylvania, where she spent four seasons from 2021-24 with a specialized focus in coaching the goalkeepers and organizing team logistics.

During that time, Penn was able to have a goalie earn First Team All-Ivy League under Rhodes-James' tutelage.

After leaving Philadelphia, Rhodes-James reconnected with H20 in January 2025, becoming the program's co-director, head coach, and head goalkeepers coach for players aged 10-19.