MANSFIELD — Superintendent Teresa Murphy is pleased to announce that Mansfield High School varsity field hockey coach and science teacher Theresa Nyhan will be receiving the Massachusetts Women in Athletics Distinguished Service Award next month.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (MIAA) Massachusetts Women in Athletics Distinguished Service Award recognizes women who have worked with distinction on behalf of the girls’ athletics programs in their communities.
The award celebrates the efforts of those whose contributions have had a lasting and profound effect on female student-athletes. Women considered for the award have provided a minimum of 10 years of service and have made a significant impact on a school and/or community in support of girls’ athletics.
Nyhan was nominated because of her work with student-athletes at Mansfield High School. Through her devotion to athletics, Nyhan has fostered strong relationships with her athletes, while encouraging them to participate in healthy competition.
She will receive the award at the Massachusetts Celebration of Girls and Women in Sports Day, Feb. 7, at the Great Hall at Faneuil Hall in Boston.
“I could not think of anyone more deserving of this award than Theresa,” said Superintendent Murphy. “She has consistently devoted her time and energy to guiding and nurturing female as well as male athletes at Mansfield High School. She is a tremendous asset to the field of education where she influences student-athletes and is a valued ambassador for women’s sports who deserves to be recognized.”
Nyhan is a Class of 1983 graduate of Mansfield High School and received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Boston College and her Master’s of Education from Cambridge College. She has held coaching positions at Penn State, Brown University and Wheaton College.
Following these endeavors, Nyhan returned to Mansfield High School in 1992 where she was hired as a biology teacher and became heavily involved in the athletics department.
Nyhan has previously held a number of positions in the MHS athletics department, working with the girls’ basketball team, soccer team, track team and as a softball coach. She was named varsity field hockey head coach in 2004, and also currently coaches the Unified Track Team.
She is also a highly respected biology teacher who has served as the MHS Student Council Adviser for over a decade. She is a member of the school’s Response to Intervention team and provides support to students in other club advisory roles. Once the school year ends Nyhan runs a field hockey camp during the summer as a feeder program to the MHS program.
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