Erin Matson, a Chadds Ford native and former University of North Carolina field hockey star, is one of the youngest Division I coaches in history at 23, writes Isabella DiAmore for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Matson’s field hockey career started early and progressed rapidly. At 13, she joined the U.S. women’s national indoor field hockey team. At 17, she won gold in the World League Semifinals with the team. 

She also won four NCAA championships with North Carolina before being named Tar Heels’ head coach in January at age 22. She succeeded West Chester University graduate Karen Shelton who retired after more than four decades of leading the team and building it into a national powerhouse. 

Matson plans to continue that high standard. She has already competed on the biggest stage and learned from many greats, including her predecessor. 

“I’ve had a lot of people to learn from, a lot of mistakes to learn from, whether they were my own or others,” said Matson. “I will do whatever I can to be the best at something.” 

Read more about Erin Matson in The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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