2026 Hall of Fame Inductee: Pam Hixon

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Over the next few weeks, USA Field Hockey will be celebrating and honoring the 2026 Hall of Fame inductees prior to the Gala, hosted by the USA Field Hockey Foundation.

From Olympic coach to industry innovator, Pam Hixon’s career is a testament to what it means to lead with purpose. Her vision has not only elevated teams to podium finishes but has also built pathways for countless athletes to pursue their dreams.

Hixon’s coaching career reached its pinnacle on the international stage, where she led the U.S. Women’s National Team during a transformative era in the 1990s. As head coach of the Atlanta 1996 U.S. Olympic Women’s Team, she guided the program onto one of sport’s biggest stages, while also leading the team to a bronze medal finish at the 1994 World Cup. Her tenure included multiple appearances at the Pan American Games, where the USA earned silver medals, and she was recognized as the U.S. Olympic Committee Elite Field Hockey Coach of the Year in 1996. Known for her competitive intensity and commitment to excellence, Hixon helped elevate the standard of play for USA Field Hockey on the global stage.

Before her international success, Hixon built a powerhouse program at the University of Massachusetts, where she served as head coach for 17 season (1978-93 and 1996). There, she led her team to postseason play every year while leading the Minutewomen to 14 NCAA Tournaments, one Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Tournament and a pair of EAIAW Tournaments. Her teams made four NCAA Final Four appearances and ended her collegiate career with a .768 winning percentage. In 1981, UMass finished as Runner Ups while Hixon was named Coach of the Year. Her influence in the collegiate game extended beyond coaching, as she later served as a member and chair of the NCAA Field Hockey Committee.

After she stepped away from coaching in 1996, Hixon was approached by many college coaches expressing the need for an independent entity to host invitational showcases for athletes to enable greater college coach visibility. With that direction and in 2000 she founded College Connection which still operates today.  

Hixon launched the Shooting Star tournament series in 2014, further expanding opportunities for competition and visibility. A year later, she joined 3STEP Sports as the president of field hockey to help grow the game by providing more local, cost-effective playing and recruiting opportunities. In 2025, Performance Sport Events evolved where Hixon now serves as the Chief Business Development Officer.

A respected leader within the sport’s governance, Hixon has also served USA Field Hockey in numerous capacities, including as Chair of the Board of Directors and a Foundation member, as well as contributing to the Pan American Hockey Federation Board.

Hixon was also inducted into the Springfield College (1994), University of Massachusetts (2001) and National Field Hockey Coaches Association (2001) Hall of Fames.

Join us as we celebrate and honor the 2026 Hall of Fame inductees on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at the 2026 Hall of Fame Gala. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.