Wissahickon loses field hockey coach

Wissahickon field hockey coach Lucy Gil, who built a very successful program in eight years, plans to tell her team at its annual season-ending banquet Sunday that she is stepping down.

Gil's husband, Matthew MacNaughton, accepted a new position earlier this year in Maryland, and after their son graduates from Abington Friends in 2011, they plan to move to the Columbia, Md., area.

From 2003 to 2010, Gil compiled a 151-37-3 record with the Trojans, winning six of the last eight Suburban One League American Conference championships. The Trojans also won three District 1 Class AAA titles and finished runner-up in the PIAA playoffs three times. They lost by one goal each time in the state playoffs.

In her tenure, Gil coached perhaps the best field hockey player to come out of this area, Katie O'Donnell. O'Donnell, a senior, led Maryland to the NCAA Division I championship this season and was named player of the year. She is a member of the U.S. national team.

Gil also coached Marci Burns and Adele Lever, who went on to play big-time college hockey. Burns graduated from Duke, and Lever is playing at Michigan State. Lauren Becker, a junior on the current Wissahickon team, is one of the area's premier players.

Gil came to Wissahickon from her alma mater, Hackensack (N.J.) High, where she coached for 10 years. She played at Cornell.

"It's been great," Gil said of her time at Wissahickon. "I love being around the girls. Young people have such energy and vitality.

"I came here to build a dynasty. I just hope that whoever takes over keeps the goal going and takes them to the next level."

or dbeideman@phillynews.com.