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Rutger
Wiese Selected to Assist with United States Men's Field Hockey National
Team
IUP field hockey coach Rutger Wiese recently
completed a stint as a special assistant to the United States men’s
field hockey team as it prepared for the upcoming Pan-American Games in
hopes of qualifying for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
 Wiese,
who has compiled a 43-18 record in three seasons at IUP, was contacted
by U.S. head coach Nick Conway, who had previously met Wiese at a field
hockey camp.
“Nick Conway e-mailed me and said they were having
a series of games against my former club from Holland, Bloemendaal,”
said Wiese. “It means a lot and it’s a great honor to be able to help a
national team prepare for international competition.
“And I think it’s great recognition for what we’ve
done at IUP. And it helps me learn from some of the best coaches in the
world.”
Wiese played for Bloemendaal, the top team in the
Dutch Rabobank Hoofdklasse League, from 1997-2002. As a right back,
Wiese helped Bloemendaal win two national titles and a European
championship.
Wiese worked with the U.S. national team February
9-12 at the Olympic Training Center in San Diego. His duties included
running certain segments of practice and analyzing game film in staff
meetings. During the games, Wiese was in the press box and communicated
strategies to Conway on the sideline.
The U.S. team went 0-4 in a series of games against
Bloemendaal, and Wiese was asked to return to San Diego February 15-19
to help the team as it played a series of four matches against Canada.
The U.S. team will have to qualify for the
Pan-American Games in February in Brazil. A good showing in the Pan-Am
Games will likely propel the team to the 2008 Olympics.
Wiese was one of four college coaches that Conway
brought in as special assistants and was the only one from a Division II
program.
The other three coaches included Daan Polders, a
native of Holland who has led Wake Forest to three straight national
championship; Grant Fulton, a native of South Africa and the coach of
national power North Carolina; and Richard Sutton, a native of England
who has led Virginia to national prominence.
For Wiese, it was an honor for Conway to recognize
him as one of the top coaches in the country.
“To be able to work with such great players and
coaches is an honor to me,” he said. “I know this experience will help
the team here at IUP.”
Wiese plans to stay in touch with the U.S. national
team the next few years as it prepares for competition.
Wiese led IUP to a school-record 18 wins in 2004 as
the Indians advanced to the NCAA Division II national semifinals. This
past season IUP went 14-7 including a second consecutive trip to the
NCAA tournament. Wiese took the helm part way through the 2003 season
and salvaged an 11-10 season and a trip to the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference playoffs.
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