

鈥淎-U-F-H! A-U-F-H!鈥 On any given day, the pride of 69传媒 University鈥檚 team echoes throughout the hallways of Bender Arena. The team has a lot to be proud of.听听
2023 marked a momentous year for the program and its coach鈥擜thletics fixture Head Field Hockey Coach 鈥攚ho celebrated his 25th year at AU by leading his team to the program鈥檚 11th undefeated Patriot League season, 13th regular-season league title, and 13th league tournament title. This achievement also earned Jennings Patriot League Coach of the Year for the 11th time.听
Jennings鈥檚 milestone anniversary and accomplishments were commemorated at a surprise celebration organized by his former student-athletes, colleagues, and others from the AU field hockey community. There, the Steve Jennings Field Hockey Endowment, which was made possible by philanthropic support from many in attendance, was announced. This is the first sport-specific endowment in the history of AU Athletics and will help offset programmatic costs.听
鈥淪teve has done a tremendous job building a tradition of field hockey players who feel a real warmth toward the program and university,鈥 said Barbara Reimann, AU Field Hockey鈥檚 retired first head coach and member of the . 鈥淎U has always been good to me. I spent thirty years there鈥攖his endowment is part of the way I can pay it back.鈥澨
Coach Steve Jennings in action on the field.
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鈥淏arb [Reimann] started the program. Steve put the program on the map,鈥 noted retired Senior Associate Director of Athletics Athena Argyropoulos, SPA/BA 鈥78, who worked alongside Jennings for nearly two decades.听听
Argyropoulos鈥攚ho lettered in AU field hockey and basketball and whose athletics career is one for the record books is also a member of the Cassell Hall of Fame. 鈥淪teve made it easy to become part of AUFH. I want to see this program maintained.鈥 Argyropoulos was one of the early supporters of the endowment.听
Steve has done a tremendous job building a tradition of field hockey players who feel a real warmth toward the program and university.
鈥淚t is the ultimate acknowledgment of Steve鈥檚 legacy and the program, and it is forward-thinking,鈥 added Lindsay Carroll, SOC/BA 鈥06. Rallying behind the endowment for her former coach was a no-brainer. 鈥淚 think about the next generation and so forth鈥攁nd the way it may attract future student-athletes [to 69传媒 University].鈥澨
Carroll鈥檚 tenure began at a time when the program wasn鈥檛 very strong. She recalled hard early losses and the team鈥檚 rise to become one of the country鈥檚 best, attributing the success quickly to Jennings鈥檚 vision. 鈥淗e saw something special in us collectively, and it benefited us on the field and academically.鈥澨
That vision likely stems from Jennings鈥檚 own field hockey background. He played for the US Men鈥檚 National Team (1991-1999) and served as vice-captain for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. Jennings was head coach of the US Junior National Team and assistant coach of the US Women鈥檚 National Team. As one of the most decorated coaches in the US, Jennings was inducted into the National Field Hockey College Association Hall of Fame in 2011. He is also an honorary member of the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame.听
Over the past twenty-five years, the athletics community has witnessed the evolution of AUFH and rallied behind Jennings.听
Carroll values the discipline she developed under Jennings鈥檚 direction and treasures the sisterhood fostered, even 69传媒 seemingly inconsequential moments鈥攄aily pre-dawn van rides to and from the University of Maryland for team practices (and games) when AUFH didn鈥檛 have its own field, for example.听听
鈥淛ust think about how far we got to get that field,鈥 said Carroll, who was a senior when the team鈥檚 field opened on campus. 鈥淭hat first game was special for all reasons.鈥 The AU community showed up that day鈥攆ormer athletes, coaches, and administrators traveled far distances to join the current AU community in celebration of the momentous occasion.听听
Today, the AU community continues to show up. The Steve Jennings Field Hockey Endowment is the result of a collective effort made possible by generations of AUFH players and supporters.听听
鈥淭he honor of having an endowment created for the field hockey program is extraordinary, and to have my name associated with it is humbling beyond words,鈥 stated Coach Jennings.听听
鈥淭he foundation-setting donors鈥攂eginning first and foremost with Barbara Reimann鈥攁re legends in our program鈥檚 history, they each left their respective indelible marks as a coach or administrator or student-athlete and now as proud alumnae,鈥 he added. 鈥淭hrough their example, through their hard work we have been able to build a culture of true excellence. The endowment is generating phenomenal support from across our alumnae base, which ensures that future generations of AUFH will receive the support they need to continue to add to the rich legacy of our program, department, and university.鈥疻e are all so thankful!鈥澨
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