UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., February 9, 2005 - Former Nittany Lion field hockey standout Tara Maguire has returned to the team as an assistant coach. Maguire replaces Jon O'Haire, who took a similar position at Ohio State.

Maguire, who graduated from Penn State in 1997 with a B.S. in Kinesiology, was a four-year starter for the Nittany Lions from 1992 to 1996. A 1996 first-team All-American, Maguire was also a two-time first team all-Mideast Region honoree (1994, 1996) and was named the 1996 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.

"We are so excited to have Tara join our staff," said head coach Charlene Morett. "She brings an unlimited amount of enthusiasm and energy to the program. She was a prolific scorer and forward in her day. We look forward to her working closely with our attack."

Said Maguire, "Coming back to Penn State is my passion, and working with Char is part of that passion. She brings so much Penn State pride with her to work everyday, and it really is a dream to come back to this University as a coach."

Maguire brings with her a wealth of talent and experience from the local to international level. She was a member of the U.S. Olympic field hockey team from 1992 to 1998, and also played on the U.S. Under-21 team in 1992. Maguire previously coached at Philadelphia's William Penn Charter School in 2003, directing the team to its first-ever No. 1 league finish with a 17-1-2 record. In 2002 Maguire assisted at Springside School, also in Philadelphia. While at Penn State, Maguire left her mark on the Penn State record books. Her 28 goals in 1996 ranks fourth all-time, while her 71 points that season stands as the third-best single-season effort. After graduating in 1997, Maguire worked at Philadelphia Insurance Companies from 1997-2001 as a marketing manager. She then started her own company called My Motivation in which she worked as a primary motivator, coaching and preparing high school athletes for collegiate play, and working with athletes on sport specific training. In 2003, Maguire took over at William Penn Charter School, before returning to Philadelphia Insurance Companies for one year from 2003 to 2004. While in Philadelphia, she also worked on her MBA at Saint Joseph's, and will receive her degree this spring.