UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Former Nittany Lion All-American Laura Gebhart has been named assistant coach for the Penn State field hockey team, under the guidance of head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. Gebhart comes to Penn State after serving as head coach at Bryant University since May of 2020.
Prior to her tenure as head coach, Gebhart was an assistant at Bryant for one season. Before that, she served as a volunteer assistant at the University of Vermont (2018-19) and was head coach at Manheim Central High School in Manheim, Pa. (2016-18).
"We are very excited to welcome Laura Gebhart back to Penn State and onto our Field Hockey Coaching Staff," said Morett-Curtiss upon announcing the hiring. "Laura brings a wealth of coaching knowledge and a passion for field hockey. As an All-American and two-time captain at Penn State, she led with competitiveness and positivity. She has always demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities and was a great teammate. Her success as a student-athlete here in Happy Valley stands out amongst the best to ever wear the blue and white. Laura's successful transition to coaching will immediately impact our team's growth and development."
Gebhart is a 2015 graduate of Penn State and left the Nittany Lion field hockey team as one of its all-time greats. She was a four-time NFHCA All-American, earning first team honors in 2014, second team laurels in 2013 and 2012 and third team honors in 2011 as a freshman. Gebhart was a four-time first team All-Big Ten honoree (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), a first team Capital One/CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American (2015) and was a nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year in 2015.
Gebhart left Penn State with 91 career points off 23 goals and 45 assists. Her 45 assists are top-ten all-time at Penn State. She had 24 points (6 goals, 12 assists) in 2011; mirrored that (6 goals, 12 assists) in 2012; 16 points (1 goal, 14 assists) in 2013; and 27 points (10 goals, 7 assists) in 2014. She helped lead Penn State to four straight NCAA tournaments, including three trips to the NCAA quarterfinals. Penn State amassed a combined 64-22 record during her playing career. The Lions won two Big Ten tournament titles and two Big Ten regular season crowns during Gebhart's four years in Happy Valley.
Penn State will open up the season with two road games in Virginia. Morett-Curtiss' squad will visit the University of Virginia on Friday, Aug. 27, at 5 p.m. and then head to Williamsburg to take on William & Mary on Sunday, Aug. 29, at 12 p.m. The Nittany Lions will have two scrimmages prior to the start of the season, home against Villanova on Sunday, Aug. 15, and at Syracuse on Saturday, Aug. 21, to prep for the start of the regular season on Aug. 27.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on twitter @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
