Jackie Kane: Coach


Coach Kane has been a fixture in Fairfield County field hocky for over 15 years. As the Head Coach of Fairfield University, Jackie Kane begins her 20th year with the program. She played four seasons with the Stags from 1982-86, and spent the last 15 campaigns as the team’s head coach. She has won more games than any other coach, entering the 2010 season with 104 victories. 

Kane has led the team to a post-season conference tournament in five of the last nine years, including four straight Patriot League appearances from 1998 to 2001. She capped the 1998 season by earning Patriot League Coach of the Year honors. She graduated from the NCAA Women’s Coaches Academy in 2006. 

In 2004, Kane guided the Stags to the Northeast Conference championship game in their first season of competition, successfully making the transition from the Patriot League. Under her tutelage, Fairfield captured a regular-season (1998) title and a tournament championship (2001) in the Patriot League. Fairfield made its only NCAA appearance in program history in 2001, taking on the University of Maryland in first-round play. 

Her coaching career began at her high school alma mater - Mount St Joseph Academy in Flourtown, Pa. In her first three years, Kane led the Chiefs to two championship games and posted a 38-7-5 overall record. She earned a master’s degree in education from St. Joseph’s University. 

Kane has three children - Jack (12), Mimi (11) and Tommy (9).

Kara Zappone: Coach

Kara Zappone begins her fourth season with Fairfield after spending four years as a member of the University of Iowa field hockey team. 

She was the team's captain in 2006 and led the Hawkeyes to the Big Ten Tournament championship and a berth to the NCAA tournament. In 2004, Iowa won the Big Ten regular season title and advanced to the NCAA tourney. She captured Iowa’s practice player of the year in 2005. 

Zappone was the Hawkeyes' nominee for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2005, 2006, and 2007, and captured the award in 2007. In the classroom, Zappone earned a spot on the Academic Dean's List in 2006.

Jodie Shannon: Coach

Jodie is a '99 graduate of Fairfield University where she led the stags to the university's first ever Patriot League Championship. As a player, she was the first Stag to earn Mideast All-American status.

Coach Shannon is currently the Head Field Hockey coach at Fairfield Warde H.S. As the Head Coach, she has led the Mustangs to the CT State Championship\.

A resident of Trumbull, Jodie and her husband Jack have two children.