Keene State College

Watson, who recently announced her retirement at the conclusion of the 2025 season, has served two different stints as head coach of the Keene State field hockey program.

Watson was originally hired in 1986 and coached for four seasons, when the Owls were in Division II and amassing a record of 34-22-9.    When she returned ahead of the 1994 season, Watson made the program her own, shepherding the team into NCAA Division III and the Little East Conference, and making the program into a conference and regional power almost immediately.

By the turn of the millennium, Watson had fashioned the team into a powerhouse, winning the LEC regular season championship every year from 2002-2009, taking LEC tournament titles in all but the first two years and advancing to the NCAA tournament.  The run continued from 2011-2018, as Keene State won LEC regular season championships in 2011, and again from 2013-2016, while also taking conference tournament titles in 2011, and from 2013-2018.   

The Owls were also successful in the NCAA tournament, winning opening round games in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018, the last of which was a memorable, come-from-behind win over SUNY New Paltz, where the Owls rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the second half for a 4-3 win.  Since 1999, the Owls have defeated nine nationally ranked teams.

Post-COVID, the Owls reached the finals in 2021 and 2023 but came up short, before returning to the summit in 2024 with a 3-2 win over Castleton University on the road to claim a record 15th LEC tournament title.

Watson has coached 17 All-Americans, as well as a multitude of All-Conference and All-Region players, including Nichole Dallas, the first player in program history to be a First Team All-American, Kelly Smith, a two-time All-American, Erin Dallas, the only player to win LEC Offensive Player of the Year (2007) and LEC Defensive Player of the Year (2009), Sami Smith, a two time LEC Offensive Player of the Year (2015, 2016), and Alyssa Rowell, a two time LEC Defensive Player of the Year (2007, 2008).     Erin Dallas, Smith, and Rowell were all multiple-time All-Americans as well.

Watson coached four LEC Rookies of the Year, and has been named LEC Coach of the Year seven times (1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2013, and 2014).