Head coach of Penn State field hockey, Hannah Prince, has announced the addition of Janelle Ward to her inaugural coaching staff. Ward will serve as an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions.
“I am thrilled to have Janelle rounding out our amazing coaching staff,” commented Prince. “Nelly’s coaching experience at the highly respected Temple program over the past two seasons has helped her grow tremendously. Nelly played for me at Saint Joseph’s, and not only does she have experience playing for and winning conference championships, but she has also competed in goal in the NCAA Tournament. Being able to bring her on board for this next chapter of Penn State field hockey makes me incredibly proud. The knowledge, loyalty, and passion she will bring are going to make an immediate impact.”
“I’m incredibly grateful to Hannah Prince for the opportunity to join the Nittany Lion family,” said Ward. “Having played for her, the chance to now coach alongside her and such a great staff is truly special. I’m beyond excited to get started and contribute to the continued success of this program.”
Ward comes to Happy Valley after coaching at Temple the past two seasons. She helped garner the Owls 24 wins during her time at Temple and a Big East Tournament appearance in 2024. Before her coaching stint with Temple, she was the goalie with Prince and associate head coach Mark Wadsley at St. Joseph’s for two seasons.
During her time in the cage for the Hawks, she made 21 starts and appeared in 28 games. During the 2023 season, where she had all 21 starts, Ward was ranked inside the top-10 nationally, the best goalie in the A-10, in average goals against per game, only giving up 1.14 goals per game. The Ontario native also amassed 46 saves during her stellar 2023 season and had a save rate of 68.7% on 117 shots faced. During her two year tenure with the Hawks, she was a two-time A-10 champion.