Under the guidance of Marcia Pankratz, a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, the Michigan field hockey team compiled an overall record of 149-55 (.730) from 1996-2005, making Pankratz one of the winningest coaches in conference history. She compiled a Big Ten record of 26-4 from 2000 through 2004, winning four conference championships and two Big Ten Tournament titles. After their tournament title in 2001, the Wolverines went on to capture the program's first, and Big Ten's second, NCAA Championship. In just their third trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2001, the 1999 runners-up topped No. 1 Maryland, 2-0, to claim the national title.

For three-consecutive years from 2002-2004, Michigan athletes swept postseason honors, garnering Freshman of the Year (Kristi Gannon, Adrienne Hortillosa and Lori Hillman), Offensive Player of the Year (April Frozoni twice and Jessica Blake), Defensive Player of the Year (Stephanie Johnson twice and Hillman) and Athlete of the Year (Frozoni, Gannon and Hortillosa) honors in addition to two Coach of the Year honors for Pankratz. The Maize and Blue won the conference championship in each of those three years. During their quest for the national title in 2001, the Wolverines were paced by Johnson, who led a defense that gave up just one goal per game, and Fronzoni, who guided the team in 2001 with 13 goals and 30 points.

Overall, 10 Michigan student-athletes combined to earn 17 first-team All-Big Ten honors from 2000 to 2004, tying Penn State for the most honors during the five-year span. In addition, 39 Wolverines were honored with Academic All-Big Ten awards.

Big Ten 25 Years of Women's Championships

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