Christopher Newport University

In 22 seasons as the head coach of the Christopher Newport field hockey team, Carrie Moura has built the Captains into one of the finest programs in the nation and a perennial NCAA Tournament participant.
 
Bringing consistency to CNU, Moura took over a struggling program in 2003 that was on its fourth coach in just its fourth year of existence. Since then, she has not only become a much-needed leader for the program but has also established a winning tradition that has propelled the team into the national spotlight.
 
As the head coach, Moura has led the program to an incredible 297-91 record. Her .765 winning percentage ranks 16th all-time in collegiate field hockey history.
 
During the program’s run of dominance, Christopher Newport has earned 13 NCAA Tournament berths, including eight trips to the Sweet 16. In 2013, Moura led the Captains even further with their first-ever appearance in the Final Four. During the team’s historic run, the squad set a new program record with 21 victories, upended six top-20 teams, and captured the regular season Capital Athletic Conference championship after posting a pristine 6-0 record in its first year competing in the league.
 
For her efforts, Moura was named the 2013 CAC and VaSID Coach of the Year.
 
In addition to their historic performance in 2013, the Captains claimed a share of the regular season conference crown in 2015 and won the outright title in 2017, 2021, and 2023. The program also claimed a pair of tournament titles after winning the CAC championship in 2017 and the C2C crown in 2023.
 
Aided by the squad’s recent run of dominance, Moura is a four-time League Coach of the Year and a six-time State honoree. She was also named the Region Coach of the Year in 2023.
 
Although Moura’s recent accomplishments have set a new standard for success, the team has been building towards greatness for a while. In the program’s first appearance in the postseason during the 2006 campaign, the Captains rolled to the Elite 8, highlighted by a victory over the three-time defending National Champion Salisbury Sea Gulls in the second round.
 
That season, Moura was named the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year by WomensFieldHockey.com and picked up her first career VaSID Virginia Coach of the Year honors as well.
 
Since taking the reins of the program, she has guided the Captains to 10 victories in postseason play. During the 2012 campaign, CNU posted a record-breaking Tournament win with an 8-2 victory over Gwynedd-Mercy. Belle Tunstall set a new NCAA postseason mark with five assists during the game, while Lindsay Hendricks matched the all-time record with five goals.
 
Fittingly, as the team has continued to succeed, its players have garnered consistent recognition as well. Under Moura’s tutelage, 16 Captains have earned NFHCA All-American honors, including first-team nods by Rachael Allshouse, Abby Asuncion, Caitlin Cahill, Alex Morales, Ashley Traylor, Belle Tunstall, and Jacque Mayer. The squad has placed a growing number of standouts on the All-Conference, All-Region, and All-State teams as well.
 
A Level II Certified Coach by U.S. Field Hockey, Moura has coached the Futures Elite in Region 8. Prior to arriving in Newport News, she was an assistant coach at Lynchburg in 2001 and 2002. During that time, the Hornets posted a 39-6 overall record and a 23-1 mark in conference action. She was also the head lacrosse coach at Keene State from 1999-01.
 
A native of Litchfield, Connecticut, Moura is a 1998 graduate of Keene State where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education. She also picked up her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Lynchburg in 2003.
 
Moura resides in Yorktown with Adam Beach and their son, Gage, and daughter, Sloan.

Getting to Know Carrie Moura