July 16, 2010

One of the most decorated and successful coaches in UMass Lowell history, eight-year head field hockey coach and member of the UMass Lowell Class of 1998, Shannon Hlebichuk has been promoted to Assistant Athletic Director. In her new role, effective August 1, Hlebichuk will assume a variety of supervisory roles within the department, continuing as the head coach of the field hockey program, as well.

"I couldn't be more excited to become an assistant athletic director at my alma mater," Hlebichuk said. "It has been a goal of mine since I was a student-athlete."

She took over the River Hawk field hockey program in 2002 and has since been named Division II Coach of the Year by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) three times, as well as Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year in six of her eight seasons at the helm of the program. She has earned NFHCA Division II North Coach of the Year honors four times, as well.

Her teams have captured five Northeast-10 Conference titles, the 2005 National Championship and seven NCAA Tournament berths.

"The desire to promote a coach who knocks on the door of a National Championship every year while also showing strong administration qualities was very appealing to me and the University," Athletic Director Dana Skinner said. "As it turns out, it was appealing to Shannon, as well."

Hlebichuk wasted no time turning the program around, as she guided the squad to its first postseason appearance in 20 years in her first season. Since then, she has coached 39 NE-10 All-Conference honorees and her players have been named All-Americans 29 times.

"In her new role, Shannon would assume a variety of new tasks and become a member of the department's senior staff," Skinner said. "I believe having a coach present for all major decisions will be of great benefit to all programs at UMass Lowell and will make the department stronger."

As a player, she was a two-year captain of the River Hawks and was twice named to the NFHCA All-America Team, as well as the 1997-98 NCAA Woman of the Year for Massachusetts. She finished her career with 33 goals and 29 assists (a former school record) and helped turn the program around in 1997, finishing her senior year with a 15-4 record, compared to a 5-15 showing the previous year. For her outstanding efforts, she was inducted into the UMass Lowell Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

Hlebichuk also earned a spot on the NFHCA National Academic Squad three times and was named a GTE Academic All-American. The former standout also served as co-chair of UMass Lowell's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.Through her participation in SAAC, Hlebichuk was selected as the New England Collegiate Conference's representative to the NCAA National Student-Athlete Advisory Council.

After graduating from UMass Lowell, she enrolled in a graduate program at Arizona State University, preparing herself for a future in athletic administration. She graduated from ASU in 2000 with a Master's degree in Higher and Postsecondary Education with an emphasis in Athletic Administration.

"I believe my experiences as a Division II student-athlete, a graduate assistant in the athletic department at Arizona State and now as a coach, have prepared me well for this new role," Hlebichuk said. "I am truly looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead."