Newberry College director of athletics Matt Finley announced the hiring of Catherine Somits as the Wolves' first-ever field hockey coach in January 2013.
In her first season as the Wolves' head coach, Somits recruited a full team from scratch, competing nationwide against teams of varying levels of competitiveness. In the Wolves' first-ever game, Newberry set the NCAA Division II regular season field hockey attendance record against local rivals Limestone.
Somits came to Newberry after serving for three seasons as the assistant coach at Davidson College. The Wildcats compiled a record of 34-30 in her three seasons in North Carolina and claimed the top spot in the NorPac Conference's East Division for the first time in 2010.
Somits was also the site director and head coach for the Davidson site of the US Futures program, where she hired staff, coordinated practices and chose high school candidates for the regional team. She earned her Level II Coaching Accreditation in June of 2011.
A native of West Chester, Pa., Somits spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Villanova, where she enjoyed a decorated playing career from 2004-07.
As a coach, Somits focused primarily on the defensive end while also handling compliance, travel, recruiting and summer camp responsibilities. During the 2008-09 academic year, she also worked in Villanova’s student services department, overseeing athletic events, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and organizing several fundraisers for charitable foundations.
Somits was recognized as Villanova’s Most Valuable Player following her senior season in 2007, during which she served as team captain. A defensive-minded player, Somits contributed from the start. She earned team Rookie of the Year honors and ultimately started all 77 games during her career at midfield. Somits tallied 14 goals and 11 assists for 39 points and aided ‘Nova to winning records each season as both a player and coach.
Somits graduated from Villanova in May 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and earned a Master of Science in sport management and business from Neumann University in June 2010.
She also gained coaching experience at Villa Maria Academy in 2008-09, where she served as an assistant varsity women’s lacrosse coach. Somits was a two-time US Lacrosse Women's Division High School All-America at West Chester East High School, where she received several student-athlete accolades as a four-year member of both the varsity lacrosse and field hockey teams.
Somits has been very active in the community. She organized a 5K walk for the Each One Counts Foundation for terminally ill children and has volunteered for the National Marrow Donor Program and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Somits also competed for a Philadelphia-area semi-professional women’s lacrosse team.
