Ange Bradley made history in more ways than one.

The Syracuse field hockey coach reached 100 career wins with the Orange, and she’s the second-fastest coach in SU history to reach the milestone.

It took her only 123 games, and the win came in a 4-1 victory over Stanford on Friday. Everyone from the players to their families realized her achievement. Players’ parents brought flowers to celebrate with Bradley and the team.

Bradley and the Orange (13-1) will look to add her win total when they play Big East rival Georgetown (2-14) on Friday in College Park, Md. They will return to J.S. Coyne Stadium on Sunday to play Boston College (9-6) at 1 p.m.

For one day, though, much of the attention centered on the coach.

Kelsey Millman said it was really exciting for her to be a part of such a huge milestone, especially being a senior and playing for Bradley all these years.

Bradley, humbled by the accomplishment and praise, is still motivated to achieve more.

“Our hope is that we can get to 109 this year,” Bradley said.

Knowing they are coming upon the end of their college careers, a few of the seniors reflected on having the opportunity to play for such a motivating coach. They credit Bradley with their ability to grow into better players over the years.

“She’s really transformed my game since my freshman year,” goalkeeper Leann Stiver said. “I’ve learned so much from her; she really knows what you need to do as an individual to fix things to make them better for your game.”

Stiver began playing for Bradley in 2009 and says she has gained more playing time and experience in her latter years because of her dedication. She also said Bradley made her earn her playing time.

One thing Bradley demands from her players is that they give everything they have with no excuses.

“What I think is special about her is her desire to win and her ability to not let people take shortcuts,” Stiver said. “You always know she’s going to be hard on you, but at the end of the day she’s pretty much your biggest fan. She wants you to do your best.”

Bradley said she enjoys her team’s constant determination to improve.

Senior Iona Holloway recalls a time a few years ago when Bradley inspired her with encouraging words.

During one practice her freshman season, Holloway struggled to keep up during conditioning drills. Bradley had the team running, and Holloway said she was the slowest one.

“I came off the field, I was young and I was in tears, and I was just like, ‘What am I doing with my life?’” Holloway said. “She texted me afterwards and I thought she was going to hate me and she said, ‘Good job today.’”

According to her players, Bradley’s coaching style is a mixture between tough love and even tougher love. They enjoy her passion for both the game and the team.

Syracuse is the third program Bradley has had success with as a head coach. She built her winning resume at Goucher College and Richmond, with stops as an assistant at Iowa and Maryland in between.

For her career, Bradley is 235-84-2. She gives credit to the outstanding players she’s had over the years.

“Having good people to work with and student athletes that share a vision and a goal, and are motivated to work towards excellence,” Bradley said.

Despite practice being difficult, Bradley encourages her players to stay motivated. It’s paid off, with the team’s record as evidence.

The players agree Bradley has a vision for each individual on the team and, often times, it proves to be correct.

Her 100 wins at Syracuse are a byproduct of her ability to motivate her players to perform at the highest level in every game.

“I always try to give them a picture of where they can be, not where they are, and be patient in the process while they’re getting there,” Bradley said. “You have to sometimes give them a little kick and sometimes pull them up.”

Published on October 18, 2012 at 12:33 am

Contact Jasmine: jlwatk01@syr.edu