Field Hockey
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- fieldhockey@drexel.edu
- Phone:
- 215-895-1789
215-895-1789
fieldhockey@drexel.edu
Denise Zelenak returns to the sidelines for her 14th season as the head coach of Drexel field hockey. She took over the program in 1994 and has resurrected the program while competing in one of the top field hockey conferences in the country. Last season she guided the Dragons to their best season since joining the Colonial Athletic Association as Drexel earned its first ever berth in the CAA Tournament with a 5-3 conference record. Zelenak's squad defeated Hofstra in the first round before falling to eventual tournament champion James Madison in the semifinals. Five players were named to All-Conference teams including First Team All-CAA selections Sarah Gostomski and Carolina Gibernau. In her Drexel coaching career, 10 of her players have received a combined 17 Regional All-America awards, including a trio of National All-Americans. Pamie Zukowski earned All-America honors in 2000 and 2001. Rachael Bloemker was named Third Team All-America in 2005 while last season Gostomski was also a Third Team pick.
Zelenak's tireless efforts have resulted in marked improvements as Zelenak's coaching culminated in the Dragons' first CAA Tournament appearance last season. In 2006, she guided Drexel to a blistering start as the Dragons opened the season with a five-game winning streak. In 2005, Zelenak led Drexel to a 10-9 record, including a 4-1 mark against Philadelphia-area schools. In 2002, Zelenak posted 11 wins overall and two victories in the CAA, narrowly missing the conference tournament but qualifying for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament for the second-straight year. That year also included a first-time win over Boston University and a record-setting six consecutive victories. In 2000, Zelenak led her team to a school-record 13 victories and the program's first postseason appearance since 1992. Her efforts earned her the 2000 Dita/NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year as one of the five coaches to be honored regionally by the NFHCA.
The fourth head coach in Drexel's 22-year Division I history, Zelenak began her coaching career as an assistant at the University of Pennsylvania in 1990. She spent the next two seasons as an assistant coach at Drexel before returning to West Chester University, her alma mater, for two seasons (1993-94). Zelenak also coached in the U.S. Field Hockey Association (USFHA) Futures program for seven years.
Zelenak, who is entering her seventh season on the All-America committee, was a part of the ECAC committee from 1999-2002 serving as its chair in 2000 and 2001. She also served as a Regional Ranking Committee member for five years. Earlier this year, she earned Level II coach accreditation from the USA Field Hockey and has been recommended for Level III.
Zelenak's extensive field hockey résumé is highlighted by her outstanding achievements on the field as well. At the collegiate level, she was a member of a highly successful West Chester program that ranked in the top 20 in Division I throughout her playing career. Zelenak earned Regional All-America recognition and was an Olympic Festival participant. In 1989, she played for the U.S. National Reserve Team before graduating in 1991 with a degree in health and physical education.
Zelenak's post-collegiate playing career has been equally impressive. A USFHA National Indoor Tournament All-Star in 1994 and 1995, she led her team to the 1998, 2001 and 2008 National Indoor Championship. She also competed from 1998-2001 in the U.S. United Airlines Summer League for the Metro Rush and in 2003 for the Fury. In 2000, she served as the team's player-coach. Zelenak, who has been a member of the U.S. Indoor National Team since 2004, captained the team and led the Americans to a silver medal at the Pan Am Games in 2006. In 2008, Zelenak will once again represent the U.S. in the Pan Am Games.
A former captain of the Puerto Rican National Team, Zelenak competed in the Puerto Rican Olympic Festival and the Central American Games. During her time with the Puerto Rican team she earned 12 caps and recorded three goals. Zelenak served as co-head coach for the United States Men's East Coast Junior Team that won the national championships in 2006 and 2008 at the U.S. training center in Chula Vista, Calif.
A native of Warminster, Pa., Denise and her husband, James, Drexel's admissions director of data modeling and analysis, reside in Wilmington, Del. with their three sons, 16-year-old Paul, 13-year-old Gray and 7-year-old Jack.
