RAD Camp Staff

Shelly Behrens
Owner of RAD & Head Coach - Millersville Field Hockey

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT MILLERSVILLE Three-time PSAC Coach of the Year and two-time Division II Coach of the Year Shelly Behrens has built the Millersville field hockey program into a contender at both the PSAC and national level. The winningest coach in Millersville history, Behrens guided the team to the first NCAA Division II Championship in Millersville women's sports history in 2014. Her Marauders have appeared in five consecutive PSAC Championship games, winning the 2013 and 2016 titles, and have reached the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons. The 2012, 2013 and 2014 PSAC Coach of the Year, 2012 Synapse Sports Division II Coach of the Year, and 2014 NFHCA Division II Coach of the Year, Behrens has developed 43 All-PSAC selections, including a Millersville record nine in 2015. She has also coached four PSAC Freshman of the Year winners in eight seasons. Her five first team selections in 2013 were the most in the PSAC and the most in school history. Her 2013 and 2014 clubs set school records for wins in back-to-back seasons (19 and 20). The 2013 PSAC Championship was the first by the program since 1986 and the NCAA Division II Tournament appearance was the first ever. She owns half of Millersville's PSAC Championships, and the four consecutive seasons with at least 17 wins from 2013-2016 is the best stretch in program history. Player highlights include three consecutive Synapse Sports Defensive Players of the Year in Taylor Parker, Lauren Sotzin and Rachel Dickinson. Dickinson also became the first Marauder ever to be a three-time All-America First Team selection. She was the recipient of the NFHCA Division II Player of the Year Award and the field hockey nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Before Behrens' arrival, the program had been without an All-American for 10 years. Behrens has developed 18 in the last six years and has placed seven freshmen on the Synapse Sports Division II All-Rookie Squad. Known for her defensive coaching, Millersville led the nation in shutouts and goals against average in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The 2015 club set a program record for goals against average and put together a record run of nine consecutive shutouts. Under her direction, Samantha Rumler set a career record for goals against average. Prior to arriving on the national stage, Behrens' 2012 team broke into the PSAC Tournament for the first time in 19 years. Behrens took the team to the PSAC Championship game for the first time in 23 years. Behrens became the first Millersville coach to win conference coach of the year honors. Behrens' players also excel in the classroom. The 2014 club was awarded with the NCAA Team GPA Award at the NCAA Division II Festival, and Margaret Thorwart was Millersville's first winner of the Elite 89 Award. She has seen more than 40 players named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad, and Sarah Dickinson was named the Capital One Academic All-District twice. In 2012, Maria Thompson achieved the honor of PSAC Champion Scholar. Behrens’ Marauders posted a team GPA of 3.41 during the 2009 season for a first-place ranking among all NCAA Division II field hockey teams and the Gladiator by SGI/NFHCA DII National Academic Team Award.The team has earned a national academic award each season since her arrival in 2008. BEFORE MILLERSVILLE The Elizabethtown native and Lower Dauphin graduate came to Millersville following a successful one-year stint at Oneonta State where she quickly transformed the program with a 10-9 overall record and a second-place finish in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). She established herself as a winning head coach at the game’s top level by building Virginia Commonwealth into a competitive program. She amassed 33 victories in five seasons and led the team to back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2003 and 2004. The 2003 season marked the first time the Rams reached double-digit wins in a season in over a decade. The squad also recorded six straight wins, which was the longest streak since the 1992 season. The following season, the Rams went 10-9, which was the first winning season for VCU since 1992. Behrens was selected as the Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 2003 and the program also produced the first of two-straight conference rookie of the year award-winners. Prior to taking over at Virginia Commonwealth, Behrens spent four years (1997-2001) as the head coach at Richmond. Behrens led the Spiders to their first-ever victory in the CAA Tournament during her first season and twice led the team to the semifinals.

Tess Ellis
Head Coach at William & Mary

Tess Ellis has held every title within the W&M FH Program, from volunteer, to assistant, associate and for the past 5 years, Head Coach. Named 2018 Coach of the year and Regional Coach of the year - Ellis led the Tribe to their first CAA Title and second NCAA appearance in 2018. During her tenure Ellis has established herself as one of the brightest coaching lights in the CAA, winning a share of Coach of the Year honors in both of her first two seasons. She is just the third coach in league history to be named Coach of the Year more than once, joining former W&M coach and friend Peel Hawthorne '80 as well as long-time ODU mentor Beth Anders; and Ellis is one of just two coaches (along with Anders) to ever win Coach of the Year accolades in consecutive seasons. In 2013, her first season, Ellis led the Tribe into the CAA Tournament thanks to a double-overtime win against Hofstra in the regular-season finale. That 2013 year also saw W&M go on the road and deliver the biggest upset of the season, downing No. 5 Virginia 2-1 in regulation. Ellis previously served at W&M for eight years as first assistant from 1993-2000, and another six years as volunteer assistant coach from 2003-08. From 2000-2003, Ellis served as the head coach of the U.S. Field Hockey Association's Under-21 and Under-23 National teams, as well as coaching the U.S. in the 2001 Junior World Cup and as an assistant coach with the National Senior team. During her time with the national Olympic program, Tess helped Head Coach Tracey Belbin develop the first Olympic residency program in Virginia Beach. Her duties with the program included daily training programs for both field players and goalies, and she had the privilege to train legendary U.S. keepers Peggy Storrar and Amy Tran. An internationally experienced player, coach, and clinician, Ellis has been afforded many opportunities to travel the globe through her work in advancing the sport of field hockey. Other accomplishments over the years include training and traveling with the U.S. Olympic Team in the run up to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, as well as coaching many junior travel teams. Tess has also served in a coaching and directors role for many U.S. development camps and in the USFHA Futures program. Ellis was also a member of the Australian National Indoor team for eight years, and was on the Australia National Under-21 squad. She represented her state of New South Wales for 11 years in both indoor and outdoor field hockey. In 1993, Ellis founded the Williamsburg-based Colonial Field Hockey Club. To read more on Coach Ellis - go to www.tribeathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1812

Margaret Thorwart
Assistant Coach Millersville University

Margaret Thorwart '17, among the most winning players in the history of the Millersville field hockey program, has returned to the sidelines as an assistant coach. Thorwart, the 2016 PSAC Tournament MVP and first team All-American, was a part of two PSAC Championships and a NCAA Division II Championship in her four seasons as a Marauder. From 2013-16, Thorwart started 42 games, earned All-PSAC recognition twice and totaled 42 points. She scored the game-winning goal in the 2016 PSAC Championship game. An outstanding student who graduated with a 3.98 GPA in public relations with athletic coaching and entrepreneurship minors, Thorwart achieved PSAC Scholar-Athlete and NFHCA Scholar-Athlete status four times in addition to winning the NCAA Elite 89 Award in 2014.

Thorwart earned a master’s degree in communications studies from West Virginia University in 2018 and a certificate in Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs from West Chester University in 2020. She was a primary instructor for communication courses at WVU and served as a graduate assistant in the office of student conduct at WCU. She also volunteered with parent family relations and the academic support program while at WCU. Thorwart gained coaching experience as a performance coach for Power Train Sports and Fitness and as a volunteer coach with Millersville University. Thorwart also has experience as the marketing coordinator for Power Train Sports and Fitness.

Chris Comiskey
Co-owner/Director of Electric Surge FHC & Volunteer Assistant Coach Millersville University

Chris Comiskey joined the Millersville University field hockey program as an assistant coach prior to the 2019 season. Comiskey is co-owner and director or Electric Surge FHC. Electric Surge FHC has over 300 club members ranging from ages 5-19 years old. During the six years of his direction, Surge has had two U17 players named USA field hockey players, 49 Division I athletes, 35 Division II athletes, and 18 Division III athletes. In 2019, Maxfieldhockey.com ranked U19 Electric Surge FHC no. 17 in the nation and fifth in the state of Pennsylvania for top field hockey clubs. In 2019 Comiskey helped coach the USA National Men’s Indoor and Junior Men’s Indoor teams.

Comiskey started his coaching career in 2012, coaching Wyoming Area Junior High to an 18-2 record, and the WVC East Junior High title. He was then promoted to the varsity head coach of the Wyoming Area School District.  He led the program to its best record in school history his?second year at 13-2, one year after leading first winning season ever by the Warriors. During his two-year tenure?with Wyoming Area, he coached six all-state performers including two first team selections and four Division I commits. In 2015, Comiskey was named District 2 Coach of the Year.?

Comiskey was the U14 travel coach for Kapow Field Hockey Club, leading his Disney team to a second-place finish in the Mickey flight. Comiskey served as USA U16 futures coach for Region 5 from 2013-2017.

Other coaches and USA players as available.