Central Michigan University Athletics
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Cristy Freese, one of the longest-tenured coaches in Central Michigan athletics history, was appointed CMU’s Executive Associate Athletic Director/Sports Administration in January, 2015.
In her role as the Executive Associate Athletic Director, Freese is responsible for overall sport administration, student-athlete welfare, along with Title IX and gender equity.
Freese has been a key figure in the Central Michigan athletic department for some three decades, serving as the head coach of the Chippewa field hockey program for 29 seasons.
She led the Chippewas to two regular-season Mid-American Conference championships and two league tournament titles. She earned the MAC Coach of the Year Award four times.
Under Freese’s tutelage, more than 100 Chippewas earned All-MAC honors, 25 were regional All-Americans, two received the MAC Player of the Year Award, and three Chippewas earned the league Freshman of the Year Award.
A signature trait of Freese's program was success on the field and in the classroom. Her 2012 team boasted the highest team grade point average in the nation, an impressive 3.61, and 144 Chippewa field hockey players earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad honors and 36 were named to the Academic All-MAC team.
Freese chaired the field hockey All-American Committee, the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Committee, and served as the first vice president of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association as well as the West Region All-America committee.
Freese also coached in the USA Field Hockey Futures Program and served as that organization’s coaching director.
Freese graduated cum laude from The Ohio State University in 1980 with a degree in education. She was a four-year letterwinner in field hockey and was a captain her senior year.
She earned her master's degree in physical education and coaching from James Madison University, where she was a graduate assistant coach for field hockey and lacrosse from 1980-82. She also was a full-time assistant at JMU from 1982-85.
Freese was the head coach at Davis & Elkins College for one season before coming to CMU in 1986.