ALFRED, NY – Alfred University Athletics has announced the hiring of Shelby Bourn as the Saxons' Head Field Hockey Coach.
 
Bourn brings experience in building the structure and culture of a new field hockey program. She comes to Alfred University from NCAA Division II Roberts Wesleyan University. The Redhawks started a field hockey team that saw its first season of competition in 2023, the same season that Bourn was hired as the Top Assistant Field Hockey Coach.
 
"I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity and thrilled to continue building on the momentum of this young program at Alfred University," Bourn said. "After meeting some of our student-athletes, I am even more excited about the group we have and look forward to developing a strong, competitive culture together this fall. I can't wait to get started!"
 
During her time at RWU, Bourn helped establish the program's foundational culture, core values and competitive standards. Those building blocks helped the Redhawks post a 7-8 record last season, the third year of the program.
 
"We are excited to see our field hockey program grow under Shelby's leadership," Associate Vice President for Student Experience, Athletics & Recreation, Deb Steward said. "Throughout her career, Shelby has demonstrated the ability to develop a program, teach the game and mentor student-athletes. In addition, with the Saxon Hill Sports Complex, our field hockey players will have one of the finest facilities for practice and competition."
 
Prior to Roberts Wesleyan, Bourn was the Lil' Kickers Coordinator/Senior Camp Director at the Tri-County Sports Complex in Macedon, NY, responsible for the entire program and summer camp. She joined the Tri-County Sports Complex after a six-year stint as the Head Varsity Field Hockey Coach, Assistant Varsity Girls' Lacrosse Coach and Middle School Girls' Basketball Coach at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy in Suffolk, VA.
 
A highly respected coach at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, Bourn led a disciplined and competitive field hockey program that emphasized NSA's core values of respect, courage, integrity and determination.
 
Bourn also has a plethora of experience outside of coaching that correlates to higher education. While at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, Bourn was the Records and Stewardship Coordinator, completing end-to-end gift processing. This experience led to Bourn serving as the Gift and Data Management Specialist at St. John Fisher University, in October 2023, where she held similar responsibilities.
 
Bourn is a 2016 graduate from Wells College where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. During her time there as a field hockey player, she was the 2012 Wells College Field Hockey Rookie of the Year, 2013 and 2015 Wells College Field Hockey Most Valuable Player and was the 2015 North Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Bourn will lead the Saxons in their first home contest atop of Saxon Hill in the Fall of 2026.
 
Saxon Hill Sports Complex is a $30 million athletics and recreation facility atop Jericho Hill in the town of Alfred on 200 acres of land that will expand Alfred University's intercollegiate athletics offerings, significantly increase student enrollment, support student retention efforts and provide a high-quality intercollegiate and recreational experience for Alfred University students.
 
On the south end of the turf field, sits the Saxon Sports Center that houses locker rooms, athletic training facilities, offices, an assembly space and a media room. The AU field hockey team will play on the turf field inside of Alfred University's new eight-lane track. The turf is a multi-purpose FieldTurf synthetic surface with field hockey lines as the priority lines. The stadium features controllable LED lights to offer practice and game schedules to fit around the students' class schedules.
 
Alfred University will celebrate the grand opening of the Saxon Hill Sports Complex on September 26, 2026, during Homecoming and Family Weekend.