Field hockey head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof gets a celebratory shower after the team defeated Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Ralph Young Field.
MSU head field hockey coach Rolf van de Kerkhof announced his resignation and has been named the head coach at Delaware, MSU announced Wednesday.
Van de Kerkhof, who spent five seasons at the helm of the MSU field hockey program, had a 74-36 record with the Spartans and was announced Tuesday to be Delaware’s head coach.
Van de Kerkhof cited family reasons for the move, saying it was a better fit.
“I am truly grateful for the great personal and professional opportunities Spartan Athletics and Michigan State University have provided me,” van de Kerkhof said in a release on the MSU Athletic Department’s website. “Now that my wife and I have young children, pursuing the University of Delaware position was in my family’s best interest.”
Van de Kerkhof led MSU to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the national quarterfinals in two of the past three seasons.
This past season, he guided the Spartans to a 15-6 record and a trip to the first round of the NCAA Tournament, where it fell in overtime to Virginia.
He led the Spartans to their first outright Big Ten championship and Big Ten Tournament championship in 2009, and experienced much success during his career.
“From day one of joining the MSU staff, I stressed the importance of creating a family atmosphere and having a `family first’ approach,” van de Kerkhof said. “I truly believe that this focus point has allowed our student-athletes to develop, work together, and achieve a higher level of success in the classroom and on the field.”
Prior to this season, van de Kerkhof led MSU to back-to-back trips to the national quarterfinals, including first-round victories of 7-0 against Delaware in the 2009 tournament and a victory against defending national champion North Carolina in 2008.
The Spartans went 18-4 in 2009 and 17-6 in 2008, after going 16-6 in 2007 and 8-12 in 2006.
He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2009.
Van de Kerkhof spent time as an assistant coach in the program before taking over as head coach in 2006.
The Spartans reached their first ever Final Four in 2002, and advanced to one other Final Four and two national quarterfinals appearances during that time.
Van de Kerkhof is a native of the Netherlands, and had more than 20 years of playing and coaching experience before coming to MSU.
“I look forward to using my experiences at MSU to build and create another family-oriented field hockey program that will prepare, compete and contribute to the University of Delaware,” van de Kerkhof said. “However, I truly feel that ‘Once a Spartan, always a Spartan’, and that Spartan Pride Never Dies. This will remain part of my daily life no matter where I coach.”
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