Red Devils Rising: Dickinson Field Hockey’s New Era Under Coach Maggie Sohns

To help celebrate National Coaches Day, USA Field Hockey sat down to hear from one of the thousands of coaches who work hard to grow field hockey in the United States.

When Maggie Sohns accepted the head coaching position at Dickinson College in March 2025, she brought more than enthusiasm, she brought a resume built on performance, leadership, and deep investment in the sport. Her arrival marked the start of a new chapter for Red Devils field hockey, one grounded in trust, clarity, and high expectations.

Sohns came to Dickinson after two seasons as the assistant coach at Stevens Institute of Technology, where she helped guide the Ducks to back-to-back Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. Her first experience within the Centennial Conference came at McDaniel College, where she served as a graduate assistant and later as interim head coach. That early exposure to the conference’s competitive standard, and its tight-knit athletic community, made her return to the Centennial Conference via Dickinson feel like a full-circle moment.

Sohns’ playing career was also decorated—at Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham, she appeared in all 91 games of her collegiate career, recording 19 goals and 31 assists (69 total points) and graduating as the school’s career assist leader. She earned multiple First-Team All-Conference honors, was named Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, and achieved All-American distinction.

But credentials only go so far. What makes this season’s story compelling is how Sohns has translated her experience into meaningful leadership.

From the beginning, she emphasized connection over tactics. “My first intention was to make sure I made a strong bond with everyone on the team,” Sohns said. “Coming in as a first-time head coach, earning their trust was important.”

Photo by Dan Loh

In interviews with each player, three values consistently emerged: accountability, communication, and dedication—values that now function as the program’s pillars.

Senior captain Natalie Slusser saw that intention from day one.

“Coming into this season, it was all about having an open mind,” commented Slusser. “We wanted to leave the last three years where they were and hit reset…find confidence in ourselves and each other.”

That reset was tested immediately. In the season opener, Dickinson took on then-No. 9 Messiah, a formidable nationally ranked opponent. “Going into that game, we knew we were the underdog,” said Sohns. “We had nothing to lose. After two and a half weeks of hard work and dedication, we gave it everything we had.” The result set the tone for what became a 9-0 start to the season (now 10-1) and Dickinson’s breach into the NFHCA rankings, making the No. 25 spot in the second week, and only climbing the ranks from there.

For a team that went 5-12 and missed the conference playoffs just a year ago, their start signaled a true turning point in the program’s story.

Slusser credits Sohns’ clear communication and standards with shifting how the team functions. “Her expectations are clear,” commented Slusser. “The feedback is straightforward. Her communication keeps us grounded, it helps us get out of our own heads and just play good field hockey.”

Assistant Coach Sara Redington, who encouraged Sohns to apply for the role, has witnessed the transformation from a different vantage. “From the moment last season ended, the girls were self-motivated,” added Redington. “They weren’t satisfied. They wanted change, and they put in the work all winter. They were so receptive once Maggie came in.”

Photo by Alli Fritz

That mindset, collective accountability, daily effort, and belief, now defines this team. “I think everyone's kind of in, like, coming into my office and asking, ‘What are you doing differently?’ And I think, honestly, it's just the mindset of my players of, like, this incredible group or women who are so motivated, and they're hungry for it and they want to come that competitiveness, and they want someone to push them,” explained Sohns. “And I think they were kind of finally given permission to want it more and have that confidence and they were given that profession to have the confidence to do it.”

As Dickinson enters Centennial Conference play, their goals remain ambitious: a deep playoff run, sustained respect in the league, and proof, beyond wins, that this team belongs. “We’ve shown we’re capable. Now it’s about proving it to everyone else,” said Sohns.

Photo by Dan Loh

For Slusser, this season has been deeply personal. “I’ve always dreamed of playing competitive field hockey. This year has felt like reaping the rewards, seeing all our hard work finally come together.”

Redington sees the payoff too. “They hold each other accountable and bring people along with them… If one player is giving full effort, she’s asking teammates to match it. That’s the standard now.”

On National Coaches Day, it’s fitting to reflect not just on record books or rankings, but leadership in motion. Coach Sohns’ trajectory, from standout collegiate athlete, to assistant and interim coach, to now leading Dickinson’s resurgence, shows what happens when experience meets intention. Her voice, vision, and values are reshaping a program, one practice, one conversation, one victory at a time.

Photo by Addison Jackson