ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – St. Mary's College of Maryland Director of Athletics & Recreation Crystal Gibson announced Monday morning that St. Mary's College would be removing the interim tag and retaining Allyson Osborne as the head field hockey coach.
 
Following one year as an assistant coach for the Seahawks field hockey program, Osborne was named the interim head coach in August of last year after nine-year Head Coach Jessica Lanhan stepped down to return teaching.
 
"After an outstanding season as our interim head coach, Allyson demonstrated exceptional leadership, a commitment to student-athlete success, and the ability to elevate our field hockey program to new heights," Gibson said.
 
Osborne inherited a team that captured four conference regular-season titles, claimed two conference tournament championship crowns, and made two appearances in the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship Tournament, compiling a 22-0 league record between 2021 and 2024.
 
"I am grateful for the trust of Crystal Gibson and the entire search committee in me to lead the next generation of St. Mary's field hockey. This team has a contagious culture of excellence, and I am eager to build upon that legacy both on and off the field," Osborne stated.
 
The Nottingham, Pennsylvania native continued the Seahawks' winning ways during her interim campaign, leading SMCM to the 2025 United East Conference regular-season and tournament championship titles. St. Mary's College also earned the program's third NCAA Tournament berth, finishing the 2025 campaign with a 13-6 overall record. Additionally, the Seahawks recorded their fifth straight undefeated league mark.
 
Gibson added, "Guiding the team to a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance made it clear that she is the right person to lead our program moving forward. We are thrilled to remove the interim title and officially welcome Coach Osborne as the head field hockey coach at St. Mary's College of Maryland."
 
She mentored three National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Region IV selections and eight All-United East honorees, including the 2026 United East Defensive Player of the Year.
 
The program's tradition of excellence in the classroom was upheld as well with 18 Seahawks being named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad, including seven Scholars of Distinction. In addition, 25 of the 27 rostered players landed on the 2025 United East Fall All-Academic Team.
 
Prior to her arrival at St. Mary's College, Osborne spent one year each at Allegheny College (August 2023-June 2024) and Oberlin College (July 2022-June 2023) as an assistant coach.
 
Osborne was a four-year starting goalkeeper for the Hartwick College Hawks in Oneonta, N.Y. between 2017 and 2020. She was named the 2020 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year while earning a spot on the 2019 NFHCA All-North Atlantic Region Second Team. Osborne collected two First Team All-Empire 8 awards in 2019 and 2020.
 
She excelled in the classroom as well with four selections to the NFHCA National Academic Squad while being twice named a Scholar of Distinction (2017 and 2018). Osborne graduated from Hartwick in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.

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