Marlee McClendon is an assistant coach for the University of Vermont field hockey program in Burlington, Vermont, and joined the staff in spring 2023. Since her arrival, Vermont has reached new milestones, including its first America East title and first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024, followed by its first regular-season conference championship in 2025. The Catamounts also advanced to back-to-back America East Championship games and hosted the league playoffs for the first time in program history in 2025, when Vermont's staff was named America East Coaching Staff of the Year.
McClendon has worked with defenses that ranked among the conference leaders. In 2025, Vermont led America East in goals-against average at 1.58, posted six shutouts, and allowed only one goal in the conference playoffs on the way to another championship-game appearance. In 2024, the Catamounts surrendered 1.60 goals per game, the second-best mark in the league, and allowed only three goals in the conference tournament while securing the program's first NCAA berth. In her first season, Vermont held opponents to 2.50 goals per game, the fifth-best figure in the conference. Players under her tenure have also earned league recognition, including Sophia Drees as America East Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, along with All-Conference honors for Drees, Maddy Weaver, Fiona McMahon, and others.
