King's College Athletics

Cheryl Ish enters her 15th year as King's head field hockey coach in 2008 and is in her fourth year as the college's director of intercollegiate athletics.

Ish took over King's program in 1994, two years after the program was introduced as a varsity sport at the college and a year after gaining Middle Atlantic Conference status. After suffering through the normal growing pains associated with building a brand new program, Ish has turned King's into a perennial conference contender. During this time, Ish has posted a 146-119-2 mark and was named Freedom Conference "Coach of the Year" in 1996 and 2005. She has also led King's to at least 10 victories every season since 1999, going 120-63 during this time period.

In 2006, Ish led King's to its finest season ever as the Lady Monarchs finished the year with a school-record 19-4 mark, the Freedom Conference championship, and a berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

The following year in 2007, she led the squad to a second straight Freedom Conference title and repeat trip to the Division III National Tournament.

She had previously guided the team to Freedom Conference title games in 2003 and 2005 where the squad fell both times in double-overtime losses. The 2005 squad concluded the season with a 15-5 mark and was ranked 20th in the final NFHCA national rankings.

During her time at King's, Ish has coached 62 players who have earned MAC Freedom Conference all-star status and seven National Field Hockey Coaches Association Regional All-Americans. Her teams have also been known for their academic excellence as 104 of her players have been named to the MAC All-Academic Team

Ish was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American during her playing career at Salisbury State University where she guided the team to four consecutive national tournament appearances. In 1988, she led Salisbury to a 16-3-3 record and a third-place in the national tournament, while advancing to the quarterfinal round in each of her final three seasons.

Ish, who was named most valuable player of the Eastern States Athletic Conference in 1989, concluded her collegiate career ranked second among Salisbury's all-time leaders in both goals scored (60) and total points (131). Ish also stands second with five goals scored in a single game. She was additionally honored as a Hanes NCAA "Woman of the Year" nominee in 1992.

An outstanding all-around athlete, Ish was also a four-year letter winner in both track and field and lacrosse. She earned her bachelor of arts degree from Salisbury in 1992. Ish came to King's following two years at Smith College where she earned her master's degree in exercise and sports studies, while serving as an assistant coach. In 1993, she helped Smith to a 15-3 record and a second-place finish in the NCAA Division III national tournament.

Ish is also a member of the Salisbury University Athletic Hall of Fame.

A native of Hamburg, NJ, Ish is a graduate of Walkill Valley High School, where she earned New Jersey Group 2 All-State field hockey honors as a senior.