Caitlin Walsh will enter her fourth season as the Cardinals head coach in 2025.

As Walsh heads into her fourth season at the helm of the Cardinals, she continues to rebuild the program's legacy which included the 2023 Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year in Michaela Graney.

Under Walsh, the Cardinals have appeared in MAC Tournaments in both 2022 and 2024. Walsh also had back-to-back seven-win seasons a feat Ball State has not accomplished in over a decade.

In 2022, Walsh wrapped up her first season with Ball State on a high note as she guided Ball State to its first Mid-American Conference tournament appearance since 2019. The Cardinals also had one of its best seasons in over a decade. Additionally, freshman Fleur Knopert earned First Team All-Mid-American Conference honors while Walsh also help guide Kerrianne McClay and Hannah Johnston to receive spots on the 2022 All-MAC Tournament team.

Prior to Ball State, Walsh spent three seasons with the Golden Flashes, Kent State amassed a 34-18 record, including 20-5 in Mid-American Conference play. The Golden Flashes were regular season conference champions in 2019 and 2021.

During her time at Kent State, Walsh helped develop a plethora of successful student-athletes, including four National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Region honorees, 15 All-MAC players, 50 National Academic Squad members, six MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes and 40 Academic All-Conference members.

"We're super excited and thrilled for Caitlin," Kent State head coach Kyle DeSandes-Moyer said. "I've had the privilege of having her with me at Kent State for the past three years. She's a dedicated coach with extremely high standards, and I'm very excited for her to lead the program at Ball State. The women at Ball State are very fortunate to have her with them. Having her in the Mid-American Conference is making our conference better. I'm thrilled to have someone from the Kent State family taking charge and advantage of this amazing opportunity."

Prior to her appointment at Kent State, Walsh spent three seasons at Davidson as an assistant coach. She also spent a year as an assistant athletic-academic advisor at Old Dominion while coaching for the Focus Field Hockey Club in Norfolk, Va. following a stellar collegiate career with the Monarchs.

In her collegiate career at Old Dominion, Walsh was a three-year starter for the Monarchs in the midfield and on defense, starting 59 games. She finished her career with 14 points on five goals and four assists, helping her team to two Colonial Athletic Association titles (2011-12), three Big East Tournament appearances (2013-15) and three NCAA Tournament appearances (2011-13).

Walsh got married in early Octobe of 2025 in a small private ceremony to Drezden Johnson.

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2025 Field Hockey Coaching Staff

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