The 2022 season is Nicole Volgraf's second campaign at the helm of the Quakers after serving as an assistant coach in 2019.
In her first season leading the program, the Quakers posted a record of 15-4, 6-2 in North Coast Athletic Conference action. The 15 wins marked a program record for most wins in a season, surpassing the previous record of 13. The Quakers also hosted their first ever postseason game in Darrell Beane Stadium after finishing second in the NCAC standings. Denise Bergdolt, Meg Murphy, and Olivia Layne were named to the first team All-NCAC with Bergdolt earning Midfielder of the Year and Murphy taking Defensive Player of the Year honors. Molly McKellar was placed on the second team All-NCAC and Guinn Schalck was an honorable mention.
"We're excited to have Nicole back and her passion for Earlham and its student-athletes was evident throughout the entire interview process," said Nick Johnson, Earlham's associate director of alumni engagement and chair of the search committee, at the time of Volgrat's hiring. "Nicole brings a tremendous amount of experience and a familiarity with our program that will allow her to continue to build on Earlham field hockey's recent growth and success."
Volgraf was on the Earlham field hockey staff during its 2019 campaign, where she helped guide the Quakers to their most successful season in over 25 years. Earlham finished 2019 with a 9-10 overall record, the most wins for Quaker field hockey since 1993, with four players earning National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Great Lakes Region honors.
"I am very grateful to Earlham College and the hiring committee for the opportunity to return to Earlham as head coach," said Volgraf. "I am excited to continue the excellent growth of the field hockey program and I am honored to be part of the college's greater mission. I look forward to leading this program on and off the field."
Volgraf first came to Earlham in March 2019 from Indiana University, where she was the top assistant to former Hoosiers head coach Amanda Janney Misselhorn, and served as the program's interim head coach following Janney Misselhorn's resignation in mid-November 2018.
As the program's top assistant coach during Spring and Fall 2018, Volgraf helped create practice plans, organized all team travel and equipment purchases, assisted with recruiting and managed several key components of the Hoosiers recruiting efforts, and managed the program's operational budget.
Volgraf has also been active in the USA Field Hockey Futures program. Most recently, she was an assistant at the program site in Columbus, Ohio, and she previously served as head coach for the U14 and U16 programs in Hatfield, Pa.
Volgraf was a four-year letterwinner at Indiana, playing in every game in which she was able to compete during her career. A member of the Hoosiers' attack and defensive corner units, Volgraf tallied 16 goals during her career and finished her career ranked 13th among IU career goals leaders. She served as a team captain in 2014 as a junior and again in 2015 as a senior.
Away from the field hockey turf, Volgraf was a finalist for the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year award, and the recipient of the Big Ten's most prestigious award, the Big Ten Medal of Honor. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Volgraf earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors in her senior year alongside an All-Big Ten Sportsmanship award. She was a member of IU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and served as the group's president.
Volgraf graduated from Indiana University in May 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in apparel merchandising, with a minor in business marketing from the Kelley School of Business.
Updated: July 20, 2021
