Temple University Athletics
Field Hockey
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- michelle.vittese@temple.edu
| MICHELLE VITTESE | |
| Hometown | Cherry Hill, N.J. |
| College | Virginia '13 |
| Coaching Experience | |
| Year | School, Position |
| 2021– | Temple, HC |
| 2012– | Spirit of USA (Club), Coach/Admin |
Bringing an impressive background of international playing experience at the highest levels, Michelle Vittese joined Temple field hockey’s staff as an assistant coach in March 2019. She was promoted to associate head coach in December 2019 and named interim head coach in August 2021. The interim tag was removed from her title in November 2021.
She enters her fifth season at the helm of the Owls in the 2025 campaign.
In 2024, Temple advanced to the BIG EAST final for the first time since 2015 following a 2-1 double-overtime win over Old Dominion. The Owls led the BIG EAST in shutouts with seven, with NFHCA All-America back Alize Maes leading both the offense and defense. The BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year paced Temple’s offense with 20 points and seven goals.
Temple recorded wins in all nine games at Howarth Field in 2024 and enters the 2025 season riding a 12-game home winning streak, which ranks second nationally behind only UMass and North Carolina. The Owls outscored opponents 32-4 during the streak, including three overtime wins and nine shutouts. It marked the first time Temple went undefeated at home since 1981.
In 2022, Vittese guided Temple to one of its most successful seasons in nearly a decade, finishing 13-6 (4-3 BIG EAST) and advancing to the BIG EAST Tournament for the third straight year. The Owls cracked the national rankings for the first time since 2014, coming in at No. 24 on Sept. 19 and ending the season at No. 23.
The Cherry and White saw early success, winning six of their first seven games and rallying from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Quinnipiac 6-3 in their league opener (Sept. 16). Temple clinched its BIG EAST Tournament berth on Oct. 28, defeating No. 13 UConn for the second consecutive year.
The Owls achieved their best RPI finish (23) since placing 11th in 2014 and recorded several statistical milestones: fewest penalty corners allowed (74) since tracking began in 2006; most goals scored (47) since 2015; fewest goals allowed (24) since 2004; and most shutouts (6) since 2010. Three Owls earned All-Conference honors — Nienke Oerlemans and Tess Muller on the First Team, and McKenna Burkhardt on the Second Team. Oerlemans was also named to the All-Region First Team for the third consecutive year.
In her first season as head coach in 2021, Vittese led the Owls to an 8-11 record (4-3 BIG EAST). Temple advanced to the BIG EAST Tournament for the second consecutive year, clinching its berth with a win over then-No. 20 UConn — the program’s first victory over the Huskies since 1989 and first over a ranked opponent since 2016.
The 2021 campaign also marked Temple’s first winning season in conference play since 2015 and its best RPI finish since 2014. The defense showed marked improvement, allowing just 97 penalty corners while successfully defending 83 — the fewest corners allowed since 2014 (103) and the first time since tracking began that Temple allowed fewer than 100.
A three-time All-American at the University of Virginia, Vittese had an eight-year career with the U.S. Women’s National Field Hockey Team, earning 211 international caps and competing in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
Since 2012, she has gained coaching and administrative experience with the Spirit of USA club team based in New Jersey, where she coached 200 athletes ages 6–18 while continuing her national team career through 2018.
Field hockey is a family tradition for Vittese and her younger sisters, Carissa and Tara, who both also played at UVA. Carissa, a former graduate assistant and director of operations at Temple (2015–17), is now the program’s associate head coach. She joined Michelle on the U.S. National Team in 2017–18. Tara, the youngest, also played for the U.S. National Team and is the only player in history to earn Longstreth/NFHCA National Player of the Year honors three times.
Internationally, Vittese won four gold medals with Team USA, including two at the Pan American Games (2011, 2015).
A native of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Vittese graduated from the University of Virginia in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in history. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in higher education administration.
Head Coaching Record| Year | Record (Conf) | Postseason |
| 2021 | 8-11 (4-3 ) | BIG EAST Semifinals |
| 2022 | 13-6 (4-3) | BIG EAST Semifinals |
| 2023 | 11-8 (4-3) | BIG EAST Semifinals |
| 2024 | 12-8 (5-2) | BIG EAST Finals |
| Total | 44-33 (17-11) |
