FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood field hockey has plenty of high-level playing experience guiding it heading into the 2022 season. First-year head coach Miranda Rigg played for Team USA and is one of the top goal scorers in James Madison history.
 
Now, three-time NFHCA All-American Rachel Petersheim joins her on the sideline as an assistant, Rigg announced on Thursday.
 
"I'm so pleased to have Rachel here at Longwood University," Rigg said. "Rachel has a great knowledge and passion for hockey that are perfect for our program here at Longwood, but she also is a great person to work with who brings a vital energy as well. She has played at an incredibly high level, and that experience will pay dividends for the field hockey program. I look forward to the season and working with her."
 
Petersheim will direct her energy coaching the Lancer defense after her All-American playing career as a defender at Virginia. She started 91 matches and played in 95 while helping the team advance to the NCAA semifinals in 2019, one of her four trips to the national tournament in five seasons at UVA.
 
In addition, she was a two-time All-ACC First Team selection and served as a team captain in four straight seasons, becoming the first player in the storied program's history to be a four-year captain. While patrolling the back line, she still scored 10 career goals and added 13 assists, with three goals going down as game-winners. Three of her 10 career goals came in either the ACC Tournament or the NCAA Tournament.
 
In 2020, she was named to the U.S. Women's National Team roster, but she battled an injury that summer before returning to school. She also was a part of the U.S. U19 Junior National Team in high school.
 
"I want to thank Longwood Athletics and Miranda for giving me this opportunity," Petersheim said. "I am super excited for this job to work for Miranda and with the girls. I remember playing against Longwood, and they had this chip on their shoulder. I loved their grit and attitude toward the games, so I can't wait to work with them. Miranda has a lot of energy and passion for the sport and the girls, and I'm excited to work for her and learn from her."
 
Petersheim, formerly Rachel Robinson, was married this summer to Tyson Petersheim.
 
She joins a Longwood program that is coming off of its first run to the MAC Championship game in team history. The team finished as runners-up after a hard-fought battle with Miami (Ohio). Longwood was selected to finish fourth in the MAC Preseason Poll, and the team begins the regular season on the road on Friday, August 26 at Queens. The home opener comes two days later against Richmond on Sunday, August 28 at noon.
 
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