Syracuse University Field Hockey

A new era of field hockey at Syracuse University is ready to begin with Lynn Farquhar at the helm of the Orange program for the 2023 season. Farquhar returne...

Ayla Halus-Johnson joined Syracuse field hockey as an assistant coach as announced by head coach Lynn Farquhar in March 2026. “Ayla is an elite competitor wh...

John Stark joined the Syracuse University Athletic Communications office in July 2022. He spent the previous seven years at Towson University, serving in a similar capacity. Stark oversees all of the public relations for Syracuse men's lacrosse, field hockey and serves as a secondary contact for women's tennis. He handles media requests, social media, content curation, Cuse.com, and other duties as assigned. Prior to Syracuse, Stark was at Towson University where he worked closely with nearly every Tiger team. His primary assignments were the nationally recognized men's lacrosse, women's volleyball, and women's gymnastics programs, in addition to men's and women's swimming and diving and men's golf. From the winter of 2011 until the spring of 2014, Stark served as an assistant director for athletic communications at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Virginia. There he was the main contact for the Keydets' men's lacrosse, wrestling, women's water polo and men's soccer programs. Prior to his time in Southwestern Virginia, Stark was an intern at the University of Delaware, overseeing athletic communications for women's basketball, including eventual WNBA MVP Elena Delle-Donne, men's and women's soccer, and women's lacrosse. A 2008 graduate of Lycoming College, Stark was a four-year member of the men's lacrosse program, while also working as a student assistant in the sports information department all four years. After graduation, he was an intern at King's Coll

Michelle Giordano was named academic coordinator in the student-athlete academic development in August 2016 after working the previous year in the compliance office as compliance coordinator. Giordano was a graduate assistant in student-athlete development at Syracuse from 2013-15. A 2011 graduate of Syracuse University from the College of Visual and Performing Arts (communication and rhetorical studies) and the College of Arts and Sciences (writing), she was part of the higher education Master's program. Giordano's primary role as GA was providing academic support to men's and women's basketball student-athletes. She has also served as an academic tutor and instructional assistant for the athletics department.

Bringing 180 international appearances to the sidelines, Sally Rutherford has joined the Syracuse University field hockey team as an assistant coach for the ...

Tracy (Stankavage) Smith joined the Orange as an assistant strength and conditioning coach in September 2018. The veteran personal trainer and Strongwoman champion Smith is primarily responsible for the strength and conditioning programs for women's lacrosse, women's rowing and volleyball. She assists with women's soccer. Smith, a graduate of Chittenango High School, joined the Orange staff after a nearly two-year stint as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She oversaw the soccer, basketball, and cross country teams, among other sports. Prior to joining the intercollegiate athletic ranks, Smith spent many years serving as a personal trainer in the private sector. She started her career in strength and condition in 2008 when she was hired as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for Strength in Motion. In November 2011, she transitioned to a strength coach role with Double Diamond Athletic Club and then moved back to Strength in Motion in September 2012. Smith has had an extended athletic career outside of coaching. She currently ranks No. 13 in the world in the Strongwoman Lightweight division and is a six-time top-15 World Strongwoman championship athlete. Smith served as the New York State co-chair for the Strongman Corporation from September 2015 to July 2018. In 2012, she was the national champion Strongwoman in the lightweight division. In college, Smith earned All-America honors and the Liberty League Women's Soccer