Jen Long returns to the Penn State field hockey team, joining the staff for her first year as the volunteer assistant coach. A four-year starter for the Nittany Lions from 2005-08, she was a three-time All-American and helped capture Big Ten Conference titles in 2005 and 2008.
During her stellar playing career with Lions, she was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year twice (2007, 2008) and was the seventh Penn State player in the history of the program to earn the honor. After helping her team reach the 2007 NCAA title game, Long was named a First Team NFHCA All-American, First-Team All-Big Ten and a Honda Sports Award Finalist, given to the nation[apos]s top collegiate field hockey player. Continuing to improve on her success, she repeated all three honors in 2008 during her senior campaign.
The Doylestown native earned three All-Big Ten selections and three All-Mideast Region honors during her career and was a second-team All-America pick in 2006. Long was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad in each of her four years. She helped Penn State reach three NCAA tournaments and earned NCAA Championship All-Tournament selection in 2007.
Long was a member of the USA Field Hockey developmental squad in 2008 and [apos]09, training with the senior national team, and played on the U.S. National Under-21 Team from 2004 through [apos]07. She was in high school when she first made the squad.
Throughout her career, Long[apos]s accomplishments include being an All-American from 2006-08, being a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, earning First Team NFHCA All-Mideast Region from 2006-08, earning First Team All-Big Ten in two consecutive seasons (2007, 2008), becoming a Honda Award Finalist in two consecutive seasons (2007, 2008), being named to the NCAA All-Tournament team in 2007, earning Second Team All-Big Ten in 2006, earning Academic All-Big Ten from 2006-08 and earning recognition for the NFHCA National Academic Squad for all four years of her college career. Additionally, Long played in every game of her career and started all but one.
After completing her PSU playing career, Long served as an assistant coach for the X-Calibur Field Hockey Club in Pottstown, Pa. and for the Labrador Hockey Club on Australia[apos]s Gold Coast. She helped two X-Calibur teams qualify for the national tournament. She has also coached other youth teams and served as counselor at PSU field hockey camps. Most recently, Long served as Assistant Coach to the Harvard field hockey team for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
A 2009 Penn State graduate, Long earned a degree in health policy and administration, as well as a minor in psychology. Her partents are Wade and Debbie Long and she has two siblings, Chris (27) and Cory (25). After working in the healthcare field in 2008 and 2009, Long will be attending nursing school during her time as volunteer assistant coach for the Lions.