MEDFORD, Mass. - Tufts University field hockey coach Tina Mattera is one of five inductees into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Hall of Fame Class of 2026 announced today.
Recognized for their leadership, accomplishments, and dedication that have made a lasting impact on the sport, Mattera and the other honorees will be recognized during the 2027 NFHCA Annual Convention in Lake Mary, Florida, with the Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner taking place on January 14, 2027.
"I am so honored, humbled and surprised," Mattera said. "It's such a huge honor in our sport. To be able to join so many legends in the Hall of Fame is pretty surreal."
Hired at Tufts in 2004, Mattera built the team into a national contender quickly. She led the 2008 Tufts team to the NCAA Championship Game, and then the Jumbo squad returned to the Final Four in 2009. That success peaked when the team won the NCAA Championship in 2012, becoming the first women's team at Tufts to capture an NCAA title. The 2012 team was inducted into the Tufts Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020. Following NCAA finals apperances in 2016, 2018 and 2024, Mattera then directed Tufts to its second NCAA Championship last fall (2025). Her teams have made 16 NCAA Tournament appearances overall, including seven trips to the Final Four and six NCAA finals berths.
"It has been absolutely amazing coaching at Tufts," she said. "With the quality of the student-athletes, and their familes, I've had so much fun coaching so many great young women over the years. It's been cool to help these players reach their potential and push them. Making it to back-to-back Final Fours in '08 and '09, really realizing that we could win a national championship, and then doing it in 2012, and doing it again this past year, has really been unbelievable."
Mattera and her staff have been honored as the NFHCA National Coaching Staff of the Year for two consecutive seasons (2025, 2026). Mattera was also National Coach of the Year in 2012 before the honor was changed from an individual award to staff recognition in 2017.
In 22 seasons as the head coach at Tufts, Mattera's teams have compiled a 305-90 overall record for a .772 winning percentage. She ranks among the top 20 active Division III field hockey coaches for wins and winning percentage. Mattera joined the 300-victory club last season and has guided Tufts to three New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) titles while earning two NESCAC Coach of the Year awards.
"We at Tufts are thrilled and proud that Tina is being inducted into the Field Hockey Hall of Fame," said Tufts Director of Athletics Ryan Pissari. "This is a well-deserved honor that recognizes her outstanding contributions to our program and the sport. For more than 20 years, she has led our student-athletes to success on and off the field while building a culture of excellence, success, and lifelong relationships. Her impact extends far beyond Tufts, with many former players and assistant coaches going on to become successful head coaches themselves. Tina is an invaluable member of our athletics department, and we congratulate her on this remarkable achievement."
During her tenure at Tufts, Mattera has recruited and coached many players who achieved great success individually. This past fall, senior Hannah Biccard was honored as the NFHCA's National Player of the Year for Division III. Biccard was also a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® selection this year, one of numerous academic honors achieved by Tufts field hockey players during Mattera's career. More than 30 Jumbos have earned NFHCA All-American awards, while the team has also featured seven NESCAC Players of the Year (offensively and defensively) since 2004.
Joining Mattera as 2026 NFHCA Hall of Fame inductees are Ange Bradley (retired head coach at Syracuse University), Jill Cosse (longtime varsity head coach at West Essex High School (NJ)), Karen Doxey (retired varsity head coach at the Collegiate School (VA)) and the late Carol Anderson (owner and president of Penn Monto, who has been named the recipient of the 2026 NFHCA Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to the sport of field hockey).
Together, the members of the NFHCA's 27th Hall of Fame class have amassed more than 2,000 career victories, three NCAA National Championships, 24 state championships, and more than 65 conference championships. Their impact extends well beyond the scoreboard, having shaped generations of student-athletes, coaches, and programs while helping grow the game across every level.
