NEW HAVEN, Conn. – On Friday, January 14, Victoria M. "Vicky" Chun, Yale's Thomas A. Beckett Director of Athletics, announced Melissa Gonzalez, a two-time Olympian who helped Wake Forest reach the NCAA semifinals as an assistant coach, as Yale's Caroline Ruth Thompson '02 Head Coach of Field Hockey.
 
"I'm thrilled to have Melissa back on Yale's campus. Her impressive accolades and successes as a collegiate player, Olympian and coach speak for themselves but what impressed me the most was the love and care she has shown for her teammates and student-athletes," said Chun. "Melissa's vision of excellence, passion and collaborative leadership style is a terrific fit for our field hockey program, athletics department and the university." 
 
Gonzalez spent the past four seasons on the coaching staff at Wake Forest, earning a promotion from assistant coach to associate head coach in 2020. Throughout her time with the Demon Deacons, they were ranked in the top 25 of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) poll, reaching a high of No. 11 in the 2021 preseason poll.
 
In 2018 she helped Wake Forest advance to the NCAA tournament semifinals with wins vs. No. 7 Iowa and No. 3 Duke. In four years, she helped coach three different players to All-America recognition, including one two-time selection.
 
Prior to Wake Forest, Gonzalez excelled for Team USA, competing in the Olympics in 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio de Janeiro). She made her U.S. National Team debut in 2010 and helped Team USA earn gold medals at the 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games.
 
She served as Team USA's vice captain from 2014 to 2016 and was captain in 2018. All told she represented the U.S. in more than 240 international games, including a pair of Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH) World Cups. She was also a nominee for FIH's Player of the Year Award in December 2017. 
 
"I am honored to become the ninth field hockey head coach for Yale University. I have known what a special place Yale is since my time as a volunteer in 2012 and I cannot wait to lead this program and its tremendous student-athletes," said Gonzalez. "I would like to thank Athletic Director Vicky Chun and Yale Athletics' administration for providing me this opportunity. I look forward to the challenges ahead and building a team that can consistently compete at the highest levels both in and out of the classroom."
 
Gonzalez starred collegiately for UConn. During her senior year in 2010, she was a first team All-American, Mideast Region Player of the Year, Big East Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Honda Sports Award.
 
She was a three-time All-American, four-time All-Mideast Region selection, two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Big East honoree in her collegiate career. Gonzalez helped the Huskies win two Big East Tournament Championships and make four appearances in the NCAA Tournament. UConn advanced to the national semifinals once and the national quarterfinals once. The Huskies had an overall record of 74-16 (.822) in her four seasons.
 
Gonzalez graduated from UConn with a Bachelor of Science in coaching and administration in 2011. She served as a volunteer assistant at Yale in 2012 and coached three Bulldogs to All-Ivy League honors and one to an All-Mideast Region selection. She was a volunteer assistant at UMass from 2014-15 and has been an assistant U-16 coach for USA Field Hockey since 2019.
 
Gonzalez, a Cortlandt, N.Y., native, was a two-time All-American at Lakeland (N.Y.) High School where she led the field hockey team to a pair of state championships.