Former UNC field hockey player Romea Riccardo joins coaching staff

Last season, Romea Riccardo's teammates often called her “mom.” 

As a fifth-year captain with six seasons and five national titles to her name, the team looked to her for support, inspiration, rides and home-cooked meals. 

But entering the 2024 season, Riccardo has taken on a new title: coach. 

In August, North Carolina announced that Riccardo will be spending her seventh season with the team, but this time, as an assistant coach. The ultimate competitor and life-long field hockey lover has transitioned seamlessly into her role and provides a new kind of energy to the coaching staff, head coach Erin Matson said. 

Riccardo's love for coaching started at a young age.

The Downington, Pa., native grew up with her father, Jeff Riccardo, coaching field hockey and hearing stories about her mom's time in college playing the sport. Starting at age 5, the earliest she could pick up a field hockey stick, she loved to go to practice.

While Romea Riccardo was in high school, Jeff Riccardo coached the Dowingtown High School West Whippets, and Romea Riccardo — the oldest of eight siblings — became the first in the family to have her dad as a coach. Jeff Riccardo also placed Romea Riccardo on several teams with players older than her, which she took in stride. 

Riccardo was often placed on the back burner throughout her career. She had to fight for the respect of fellow players and coaches, and she was often told she wouldn't make it far in field hockey. 

But this kind of doubt only fueled her fire more.

“She'll tell you she's better than anybody,” Jeff Riccardo said. “I mean, that's just her.”

And, over the years, she worked to prove this sentiment. She was recruited by then-UNC head coach Karen Shelton in high school, a dream come true for the hockey-loving family of ten. 

Fast forward five years, and Romea Riccardo is now one of the most decorated players in the history of UNC field hockey, joining Matson. So, stepping into the new role of assistant coach for Matson's second year at the helm of the program at North Carolina only felt right. 

Following her graduation from UNC last fall, she coached one-on-one, clubs, clinics and camps. When she saw the position open up with the Tar Heels, she knew she had to apply. 

“My teammates last year would be like, ‘You're obsessed,’” Riccardo said. “‘You want it so much.’”

Throughout the interview process, Riccardo emphasized that she did not want the position to be handed to her because she played for the team. Even though a national search was conducted, Matson always knew that Riccardo would be great in the role. 

Although there were several applicants, when Riccardo came in for her interview it was clear the position should be hers. 

When the gig was finalized, Matson was over the moon. As close friends and former co-captains, the young duo knows each other's game. After playing together in Pennsylvania for much of their lives, they knew when to be serious and shared the same competitiveness. 

“We've always been used to each other,” Matson said. “When it's time to hang out and go to a restaurant together and have a friend-to-friend conversation and be normal 24-year-olds. But on the field, it's business. We want to win.”

Riccardo's sister Ciana Riccardo, a fifth-year back on the team, said the transition to coaching life was easy for everyone. She often teases that she followed her sister onto the team after she opened the door and made it possible.  

“Not much has changed, just because she was always such a leader on the field and always had that voice and respect from the players,” Ciana Riccardo said.

That voice is not one that Romea developed by herself, though. She said when she's coaching, she often reminds herself of her dad. His tone, delivery, encouragement and demeanor are all things that she admires about his coaching style and tries to embody on the field. 

With a 6-0 start to the season, it is clear that this new and young staff meshes. 

With seven years of experience and a revolving door of epithets, “coach” is starting to sound pretty good. 

@aplancaster_

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com