Derek Aspinall has been named the third head coach of the Marian University field hockey program.
“We’re excited to welcome Derek to Marian Athletics,” said Director of Athletics Tony Draves. “Derek brings a vast amount of experience in field hockey and specifically in the Midwest. I can’t wait to see Derek make an impact on our young women in the field hockey program.”
Aspinall joins the Sabre Athletic Department with over 30 years of coaching experience and a lasting impact in growing the sport of field hockey across the United States. Since relocating from the UK in 2002, he has founded four active and successful clubs; Cheeseburners FHC (Wis.), Cowtown Crazees FHC (Ohio), Miami Surf FHC (Fla.), and Cincinnati Centurions FHC (Ohio). These programs have developed athletes from the grassroots to international levels while fostering strong field hockey communities.
In addition to his club leadership, Aspinall has held high school coaching roles at University School of Milwaukee (Wis.), Upper Arlington High School (Ohio), and Saint Ursula Academy (Ohio), guiding teams to highly competitive records. Nationally, he has served as a USA Field Hockey National Olympic Pipeline Coach, Futures (NEXUS) Program Head Coach, and Junior Olympic Coach, helping shape the next generation of elite athletes.
His teams have achieved notable success, including a first-place finish at the Atlanta Cup and a runner-up showing at the JFK National Tournament. As a player, Aspinall competed for Durham City Hockey Club (UK), where he captained teams to national finals and earned the Golden Jubilee Award for outstanding service. He has also represented several US-based clubs in many national competitions.
“I would like to thank Director of Athletics Tony Draves and the Marian University search committee for this incredible opportunity,” said Aspinall. “I’m truly honored to join such a great school and couldn’t be more excited to get started. I look forward to working with our student-athletes and staff to continue building a strong foundation and legacy on and off the field. Go Sabres!”
Aspinall is a Level I Accredited Coach with USA Field Hockey and is a Level II Certified Coach with the English Hockey Association.
