The Orange and Blue welcomed assistant coach Sam Carlino to the team this season. The Unionville, Pa. native kicked off her first collegiate coaching job during preseason for the 2016 season. A seasoned athlete with an extensive field hockey background, Carlino has the knowledge and coaching skills that make her perfect for the position. A 2016 graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Carlino started all four years during her collegiate career as goalkeeper.

“My goal for this first season is to learn as much as I possibly can, not only about coaching college field hockey but also about the team,” Carlino said. “I fell in love with coaching because I want to help the young women that I coach learn and grow as human beings, and this is my main goal for this season.”

Her experience with the sport can be traced back to grade school, when she began playing in a recreational league as a third-grade student because her mother played field hockey. After developing an interest in the game, Carlino continued her career as a member of club teams and throughout high school in Unionville. Her team placed second in the district and even made it to the state playoff tournament her senior year. During her collegiate career, Carlino earned numerous honors, including First and Second Team All-Conference, National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Second Team All-Region, and made National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) First and Second Round appearances.

Carlino was invited to the USA National Team Trials in 2016 and had the opportunity to train with Northeast Region, Junior National Camp, and the Under 21 National Team. She participated in the USA High Performance Championships from 2013-2015. Her experience extends as far as competing in 2013 in the Under 21 Junior World Cup in Germany.

Carlino’s strengths as a leader and coach began developing early, as she served as captain of her UMass team for two years to lead them to victory in three Atlantic 10 Conference championships. Her résumé also boasts experience as a goalkeeper coach for camps at Trinity College, West Chester University, USA Field Hockey’s Futures, and Element Athletics. With Element, Carlino was the head goalkeeping coach for indoor field hockey while also assisting the head coach during practices and tournaments.

Hired to start for the 2016 season, Carlino will assist head coach Jeremy Cook in leading the women of the Orange and Blue field hockey team. The University’s unique student-athlete experience drew Carlino to join the Orange and Blue.

“Bucknell University is an amazing university that prides itself on academic excellence. Coupling that with an incredible athletic environment for our student-athletes, I believe that Bucknell University is the epitome of the student-athlete experience,” Carlino said.

Her impressive achievements are apparent off the field as well. A former environmental science major at UMass, Carlino was a regular Dean’s List student and four-time member of the NFHCA National Academic Squad.

Coming off a semifinal finish in last season’s conference tournament, the Bison are ready to start fresh this season under the guidance of Carlino.

“The team has a lot of talent returning and a very solid freshman class,” Carlino said. “I am excited to see how the season goes and I believe that we have a legitimate shot at winning the Patriot League title.”