University of Delaware Office of Public Relations The Messenger Vol. 6, No. 1/1996 Olympic dream realized It was a long wait until this summer in Atlanta when Margaret "Missy'' Meharg, Delaware '85, finally made it to her first Olympics. A star field hockey and lacrosse player for the Fightin' Blue Hens, Meharg was considered a strong contender for a spot on the U.S. women's national team that competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She suffered an ankle injury, however, and, as a first alternate on the team, did not make the trip to Korea. Meharg, who has been head coach of the highly regarded University of Maryland field hockey program for nine years, did win a spot on the '92 national team that had as its goal the Barcelona Olympics. But, that team was upset during a qualifying round game and did not compete in Spain. After that, she decided to concentrate on her coaching career. And an accomplished career it has been, with three of her last four Terrapin teams reaching the NCAA championships. As a field hockey coach with a national reputation for excellence, Meharg was included in a pool of 10 coaches who worked with the national team in preparation for the '96 Atlanta Olympics. She had traveled to Dublin with the national team for the '94 World Cup, a competition in which the U.S. brought home a bronze medal. The following year, she was named assistant coach of the national team. Reflecting on the '96 Olympics, she mentions the opening ceremony when all the athletes, coaches and officials approached Olympic Stadium, packed with people from every nation. "It was one of the most exhilarating experiences," she says. "It was powerful; something I'll never forget." Neil Thomas, Delaware '76