STANFORD, Calif. - Following 11 years at the helm of the Cardinal program, Tara Danielson has resigned as Stanford's head field hockey coach. Danielson leaves The Farm after guiding the Cardinal to 11 winning seasons while amassing a record of 164-62 during her tenure.
"I am thankful to the student-athletes, alumni and the broader Cardinal Athletics community for the opportunity to grow and lead in my time at Stanford," Danielson said. "I am excited about the path my family is embarking on, and also excited to return to New England. I wish Stanford Athletics and the field hockey program continued success."
Most recently, Danielson led the Cardinal to the 2020 America East Conference championship, its fourth title in the last five years, and a trip to the NCAA quarterfinals, earning NFHCA West Region Coaching Staff of the Year for her efforts. Stanford has featured 13 NFHCA All-America selections, 34 All-Region honorees and 64 players named all-conference under Danielson, a five-time conference Coach of the Year recipient.
"Tara has served Cardinal student-athletes with great passion and dedication for more than a decade," said Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics Bernard Muir. "Tara's leadership has helped our program reach new heights, and she will be missed by many here at Stanford. I wish her all the best moving forward."
At Stanford, Danielson coached three Honda Award finalists and multiple NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients. Danielson's 2020-21 team was recognized as having the second-highest GPA in the country, and her program has been awarded the NFHCA Division I National Academic Team Award for the past 10 seasons. During multiple years of Danielson's tenure, the field hockey program was recognized as having a perfect Graduation Success Rate (GSR) score by the NCAA. The Cardinal advanced to the NCAA Tournament nine times in Danielson's 11 seasons, producing two quarterfinal appearances and six conference tournament championships overall.
Danielson was announced as the program's sixth head coach on July 13, 2010. In addition to enjoying an extensive international playing career, Danielson developed a reputation as a pioneer within the field hockey community through her efforts on the developmental level in the west while implementing several successful outreach programs.
In June 2018, Danielson was inducted into the Bay State Games Hall of Fame after being officially honored in a ceremony at Fenway Park. The Bay State Games Hall of Fame was created to recognize participants who have gone on to prestigious and successful athletic careers, as well as former and current coaches, officials, sports organizers and volunteers who have made significant contributions to the organization throughout its history.