Mulder Steps Down as Indoor USMNT Head Coach
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Following the conclusion of the 2024 Indoor Pan American Cup, U.S. Men’s National Indoor Team Head Coach Jason Mulder has announced he is stepping down from his volunteer role at USA Field Hockey.
“Stepping away from a program that has given me so much has been a tough decision,” said Mulder. “As a young coach at Central Hockey Club in South Africa it was always a dream to coach and compete at the international level. My focus was to leave it better than I found it, a principle I hold dear in everything I do. I feel comfortable that we've got close to that goal and I'm excited to see the next group take it to a whole new level.”
Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Mulder began his coaching career in 2009 at Central Hockey Club. After that, he was a volunteer assistant at Syracuse, Bryant and Maryland before heading to Towson in 2019. From 2019 to 2022, he was a full-time assistant coach for the Tigers, where he helped lead the program to the most wins since 2011.
Mulder was named to the position of head coach of the U.S. Men's National Indoor Team in April 2021. He kicked off his tenure by leading the squad to a second-place finish and securing World Cup qualification at the 2021 Indoor Pan American Cup. At the 2023 FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup, Mulder’s team garnered fourth – the highest finish ever for the Wolves at the event. The historic performance propelled USA to a No. 9 world ranking.
At the recent 2024 Indoor Pan American Cup, the team finished third under Mulder’s leadership, defeating Guyana 5-4 in the bronze medal match. The squad narrowly missed World Cup qualification after falling 5-4 to a tough Trinidad and Tobago team in the crossover match, after taking a 4-3 victory in pool play.
Mulder was at the helm for a number of other events, including the 2022 and 2023 Rohrmax Cup in Austria and 2023 Nkosi Cup in South Africa. He has been an instrumental part of developing boys and men indoor field hockey in the United States.
“I want to thank USA Field Hockey and all the staff that I've had the pleasure of working with throughout my time," said Mulder. "In particular Nigel Traverso, Dr Kathy Schiller, Erik Enters and Aditaya Pasarakonda. This would have been impossible without you all.
Last and most important, the players! What a super journey we've been on, WOW!! You've all have created something so special for the men's program. I'm thankful for all the great lessons and battles we faced. Culture over tactics is true and you guys proved that theory again and again.
I know this isn't a good-bye but a see you soon. I look forward to becoming a father of twins, they are my new team.”
Please join USA Field Hockey in thanking Mulder and wishing him good luck in his next chapter.