By MATT VAUTOUR
AMHERST — There are dorms covering the field where Amy Robertson last made a tangible contribution to UMass field hockey.
During her last year as an assistant coach, Robertson, who helped lead UMass to final fours as a player (1987) and an assistant coach (1992), the Minutewomen were still playing on the usually bumpy, occasionally muddy grass at Totman Field.
“I’d like to get a plaque and put it somewhere over there,” Robertson said laughing, after Wednesday’s practice at Gladchuk Field.
A lot has changed since Robertson, who’ll be the Minutewomen’s interim coach for the 2016 season, played (1984-87) and then worked as an assistant coach (1992-96) at UMass.
The Minutewomen have played under three head coaches and on two home fields since she left.
But field hockey remains one of the school’s most successful programs, and, for her one year in charge, Robertson wants to do her part to keep it that way.
She left Amherst after the 1996 season to be an assistant at Wake Forest from 1997-99 before being hired to build a program from scratch at Indiana. She led the Hoosiers from 2000-2014 and advanced to two NCAA Tournaments, including a trip to the elite eight in 2005, while amassing a 134-141 record.
When Indiana let her go, Robertson was content to be done. She moved to Durham, North Carolina to run field hockey camps. Leading a program was in her past.
Or so she thought.
When Carla Tagliente, who led the Minutewomen to three NCAA Tournaments in four seasons, was hired at Princeton in late June, UMass had to scramble to have a coach in place for the season.
Athletic director Ryan Bamford said he’d consider either a permanent replacement or an interim one for the season depending on the candidate pool.
Robertson wasn’t interested in either at first. But her alma mater, and especially the field hockey program, had always meant a lot to her even while she was with other schools.
“I told people I’m happily retired. I have no intention of going back to college coaching,” she said. “But if I was going to do it, it would only be at UMass. Darrice (Griffin, associate athletic director) was very convincing. Ryan said ‘make the decision that’s best for you.’ I couldn’t say no.”
After accepting, she finished her camps in North Carolina, found an apartment to rent in Amherst and moved north in time to start preseason. She hasn’t had many free moments since.
“It was awesome. It was overwhelming. It was also really natural. A lot has changed, but a lot has really not changed,” she said. “I’ve been back for some recruiting and for some other events, but to come back in this capacity and working with the athletic staff and coaches. Seeing familiar faces — Russ Yarworth, Ken O’Brien, Julie Lafreniere — is a neat feeling.”
Through conversations she had with people at UMass and around college field hockey she heard good things about the squad she was inheriting and they’ve lived up to that billing.
“Everyone told me they was a special group with a lot of returning players,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the women on this team and the culture of this group I don’t think I would enjoy it as much, but they’re energy-givers and some really amazing people with great careers in front of them. It’s a fun group to work with.”
UMass will open its season Friday at the Wildcat Classic at New Hampshire. They’ll play UNH at 6 p.m. and then either the winner (2 p.m.) or loser (11 a.m.) of the game between No. 17 Boston University and No. 16 Northwestern on Sunday.
Robertson said the 2016 Minutewomen will play a lot like the Tagliente-led teams of the past few years. She planned to tweak where necessary without overhauling.
“I don’t want to change too much, except to take what they have and make it better,” she said. “The players have a lot of ownership of this team. I’m just guiding it and helping it and trying to push them and challenge them to reach the success that they’re after.”
After finishing 12-9 last season with an A-10 title and a win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Minutewomen were picked second in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll and have three preseason all-conference players in Izzie Delario, juniors Sarah Hawkshaw and Melanie Kreusch.
Robertson said no matter how the season goes, she won’t be the coach in 2017. That puts her in a position a lot of coaches would envy. She knows this is her last season leading a team and can savor the experience.
“I’m not very egotistical so I’m not looking at this like it’s Amy’s swan song. It’s extremely unique. But to come back in this situation just feels really natural,” she said. “There’s so much honor and pride to get to do what I’m doing right now.”
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage