MEDFORD, Mass. - After directing the Jumbos to the NCAA Division III Championship, the leaders of the Tufts University field hockey team have been named as the NFHCA Region II Coaching Staff of the Year.

This marks the second straight season and sixth time overall that Tufts has earned the Region Coaching Staff of the Year honor during head coach Tina Mattera's tenure. The Jumbos were also awarded in 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016 and 2024. This year's staff is the same that was recognized last year - Mattera, associate head coach Megan Caveny and assistant coaches Katie Weber and Troy Zirbel.

After graduating six starters from last year's team that won the NESCAC title and advance to the NCAA Championship Game, Tufts started 2025 with a 3-2 record. However, the Jumbos continually improved and had an 11-game winning streak which helped them earn the No. 1 seed in the conference with a 9-1 record. 

Tufts rebounded from a loss in the conference semifinals to go on an NCAA run that included tying the record for goals in an NCAA Tournament game in the first round and wins over NESCAC foes Williams College and Bates College in the second and third rounds. That advanced the Jumbos to the seventh Final Four in program history, where they defeated top-ranked and previously unbeaten Christopher Newport University, 1-0, in the semifinals and then won the national championship with a 2-1 victory in overtime against Johns Hopkins University.

Tufts' 19-3 final mark tied the school record for victories. The team's 3.32 goals per game average led NESCAC and was matched with a 0.98 goals against average. Nine players score eight or more points this year, and senior Hannah Biccard's 17 goals were the most by a Jumbo since 2010.

Biccard was joined by senior goalie Lydia Eastburn, junior defender Claire Casey and sophomore midfielder Eleanor Luft on the NFHCA All-Region team. Tufts' three first-team honorees (Biccard, Eastburn and Casey) were the most in the region.The four All-Region players were joined by first-year Eleanor Helm on the All-Conference Team, where Tufts' five recipients were its most since 2013.

On the NESCAC All-Academic Team released this week, recognizing student-athletes with grade point averages of 3.50 or better, the Tufts field hockey roster featured 16 honorees.

Tufts is now eligible for the 2025 NFHCA Division III National Coaching Staff of the Year award, which will be announced on January 15, 2026 at the NFHCA Hall of Fame reception sponsored by AstroTurf® at the 2026 NFHCA Annual Convention.