Bio

Bryant University President Ronald K. Machtley and Director of Athletics Bill Smith announced the hiring of Joppe de Vries (pronounced YO-pa de-VREEZ) as the next head coach of the Bulldog field hockey program on June 22, 2017. He becomes the third head coach in Bryant field hockey history and enters his fourth season as head coach of the Bulldogs in the 2020 season. 

De Vries helped guide the Bulldogs to eight wins since taking over at the helm. During his time with the Black and Gold, de Vries landed five on the all-conference list including First Team All-MAAC selection in Floor van Dommelen in 2017 and two-time Second Team All-MAAC honoree Victoria Newbill, who was also a two-time selection to compete at the USA Young Women's National Championship held in Lancaster, Pa. in 2017 and 2018. 

Prior to Bryant, De Vries spent four seasons at the University of Maryland. Promoted to associate head coach at the University of Maryland in 2016 after serving three years as an assistant coach and technical director, de Vries has been instrumental in the Terrapins’ run to four NCAA tournaments, including a 2013 Final Four appearance and two trips to the NCAA Quarterfinals (2014, 2016).

The Terps have won ACC or Big Ten Championships in all four seasons with de Vries on staff, including three-straight Big Ten Regular-Season titles. As a goalkeepers’ coach in his first year, he guided Natalie Hunter to an NFHCA Third Team All-America accolade after she backstopped a team that finished 22-2 in its final season in the ACC.

A USA High Performance Center head coach with USA Field Hockey (Mid-Atlantic region) since 2013, de Vries works with all three US National Teams (Women’s National Team, U-21 and U-17) throughout the year and serves on the coaching staff at the USA Junior National Team Camp.

Prior to his arrival in the United States, de Vries spent two years training and developing the goalkeepers of the South Africa Men’s and Women’s National Teams, as well as working with South Africa’s U-18 and U-21 teams from 2010-12. South Africa qualified for the 2012 London Olympics on both the men’s and women’s sides. De Vries has also served coaching stints with Hockeyclub Rotterdam in the Dutch Premier League and with a variety of other club programs in the Netherlands.

“I am truly excited and grateful to be named the head coach at Bryant University,” said de Vries. “I am looking forward to bringing my coaching experiences, as well as my love for the game, to the team. I would like to thank Bill Smith, John Ruppert and the search committee for giving me this opportunity. I can't wait to start working with this ambitious team!”

De Vries spent eight years teaching physical education and marketing communications at the University of Amsterdam from 2005-13. He earned his degree from the University of Amsterdam in physical education and sports management in 2000.

De Vries and his wife, Katrien Van Den Eijnde, have two children, Saar and Tijn.