FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Courtesy of Dean Athletics Communications

FRANKLIN, Mass. – Dean College Director of Athletics George Martin has announced the hiring of Megan Baker as the next head coach of the field hockey team.

Baker takes over a program that recently completed its first season in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC).

"I would like to welcome Megan Baker to Dean College as the next field hockey head coach," said Martin. "Her enthusiasm for field hockey and desire to be a mentor to the student-athletes will make Megan a great fit in our department. As a former GNAC field hockey student-athlete, she knows the level of play and understands the skills necessary to compete in the conference. Her background in coaching, admissions and recruiting will help elevate our program."

"I am beyond excited to be part of such a welcoming community at Dean and to be returning to the GNAC," said Baker. "My passion and drive run deep for this sport, and I look forward to taking the program to new heights. I am thankful to George Martin for granting me this opportunity to become part of the Dean Athletics family. I also want to thank my previous programs that I have been able to learn from and be part of at Albright and Cedar Crest, and those at St. Joe's who have made me into the person/coach I am today! I look forward to hitting the ground running to develop the program, recruit stellar student-athletes and to coach/mentor the current student-athletes in the program."

Baker comes to Franklin after spending the last few months as an Admissions Counselor and Student Ambassador Supervisor at Nichols College. Prior to her stint at Nichols, Baker was on the field hockey coaching staff at Albright as an assistant and interim head coach.

Baker spent the 2019 season as an assistant coach at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Baker was a standout student-athlete at Saint Joseph's College. She was a four-year starting goalkeeper for the field hockey program and a captain during her senior season. A two-time Goalkeeper of the Year, Baker was selected twice as First-Team All-Conference and once as Second Team All-Conference. Baker and the Monks appeared in the GNAC Tournament each of her four seasons, claiming conference titles in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Baker also was a three-year member of the women's lacrosse program. She served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for three years, one year as the president and one as the vice president. She was also a member of the Academic Senate, on the All-College Environmental Committee and worked as an athletic office assistant for the Sports Information Director and Athletic Director.

Baker has been the goalkeeper head coach at Maine Elite Field Hockey and Maine Styx Field Hockey. She was an assistant coach for the USA futures program and a coach for the Gorham Youth and High School programs. Baker also spent time with various camps through Hockey Palooza and Kutztown University.

Baker earned Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Counseling from Saint Joseph's College and a Master of Education from Albright College.