LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University Director of Athletics James Downer has announced the hiring of Mackenzie Allessie, a highly decorated two-time member of the United States national team, as the head field hockey coach.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have Mackenzie lead our field hockey program," said Downer. "Her achievements on the field and her standing as one of the premier players in the sport will undoubtedly benefit the growth of our team as we look to capitalize on our recent success in the Northeast Conference. I look forward to Mackenzie utilizing her vast playing experience and knowledge into becoming one of the top young coaches in the country." 

Allessie helped the United States to the bronze medal in the Pan American games in 2019 in Chile after becoming the youngest player named to the United States National Team in 2018. She registered the most goals scored by a member of Team USA during those 2019 games. She was also named to the United States National Team in 2022.

"I am so eager and excited and honored to be the head coach at Saint Francis," said Allessie. "I can't wait to bond with the girls on and off the field. We are going to have a lot of fun getting to grow this program more and more. Saint Francis just seems like a great environment to help guide girls into becoming great woman and high-level athletes, and I just can't wait to be a part of that."

Allessie tallied 61 goals and 45 assists for 167 points in her five-year collegiate career with two years at Ohio State and three seasons at Penn State. A five-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-American and five-time NFHCA All-Region first-team selection, she helped the Nittany Lions to the NCAA national semifinals for the first time since 2007 and a share of the Big Ten Championship in 2022. Allessie, named to the All-Big Ten first team in all five seasons, was named the Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year during the 2021 spring season after posting 15 goals and five assists in 16 games for Ohio State. 

Allessie will make her collegiate coaching debut in the fall after serving as the Alleycats Club team (Palmyra, Pa.) coach since 2015. She has been working with the club team's under-12, under-14, and under-16 girls' field hockey players and has also served as a volunteer assistant coach at Donegal High School since 2022. 

A 2023 graduate of Penn State University, Allessie was the National Female Athlete of the Year in 2019 at Donegal High School. She was also the PIAA Field Hockey Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018 and left as the national career leader in goals for a season (124, 2018), career (351) and points in her career (838). 

What They Are Saying About Mackenzie Allessie:
Char Morett-Curtiss - Former Head Penn State Field Hockey Coach
"Mackenzie will be an excellent leader and role model for her players both on and off the field.  Her passion for field hockey is clearly evident in the way she played and will now transfer that passion to coaching and inspiring her team. Mackenzie recognizes the importance of a strong team culture emphasizing on working hard and playing together. As a two-time captain at Penn State, she developed leadership and communications skills that will translate into developing a healthy competitive spirit for the players at Saint Francis University." 

Kiley Strohm - Head Coach Alleycats Field Hockey Club
"Mackenzie Allessie always brings a level of passion and energy to her coaching that is truly remarkable. Her knowledge of the game combined with her competitive spirit sets her apart in the field hockey community. Her knowledge, coupled with her unwavering commitment to excellence, will allow Mackenzie to mentor and mold her Saint Francis players into skilled competitors who will embody the essence of the game and will push them to strive for greatness every time they step onto the field. Saint Francis has made an exceptional hire and I look forward to watching their successes. The future is bright."