@michaeltobass[/author_info] [/author]
EWING – As players and coaches began walking to the sidelines after The College of New Jersey trumped Gwynedd Mercy University 6-0, both players and spectators could feel the excitement as head coach Sharon Pfluger notched her 1,000th career win as field hockey and lacrosse coach.
This legendary accomplishment is only the latest in countless honors that Pfluger has earned in her over 30 year career coaching at TCNJ.
Like always, Pfluger remained incredibly humble, deflecting all praise and preferring to talk about her players and coaching staff rather than about her accomplishment.
“This is an accomplishment for all of the field hockey and lacrosse players that have been involved with the program for all of these years,” Pfluger said. “It’s a credit to them and credit to my coaching staff. I’m very fortunate to be around all of these wonderful people, and have an alumni base, so it’s not just me, it’s for everybody. I’m just a small piece of it.”
Immediately after the conclusion of the game, the players raced to the sidelines to present their esteemed coach with a banner signifying her astounding achievement. As the players carried it to midfield, spectators collectively stood in awe to congratulate Pfluger.
Pfluger was congratulated by players and coaches of both teams, and she was joined by her family, who were able to witness and be with her during her historic achievement.
She admitted to not even realizing the potential to notch 1,000 career coaching wins, as she revealed that someone had brought it up to her only hours earlier.
“We just take it day by day, so I really didn’t know about it until somebody leaked it out today,” Pfluger said.
Throughout her tenure as a coach of both women’s lacrosse and field hockey at The College of New Jersey, Pfluger has had unappalled success. She has led the lacrosse team to 11 NCAA Division III titles, and the field hockey team to 9 NCAA Division III titles, with the most recent coming just last year.
The magnitude of the win was felt by all in attendance. Her players could not be happier to help be a part of Pfluger’s legacy.
“We are just really happy because this win just symbolizes everything that the program does,” senior captain Mikayla Cimilluca said after the game. “We are really happy for our coach because she is awesome, and she is the reason why our program is so successful.”
Although Pfluger’s legacy was without question cemented well before the outcome of the game, the living legend continues to amaze at TCNJ.