Krista McFarren (2002) - Hall of Fame - Indiana State University Athletics

Hall of Fame

Krista McFarren

Class

1983
Induction

2002
Sport(s)

Field Hockey

Simply put, Krista McFarren likes a challenge.

Having grown up on the Eastern Seaboard, where competitive field hockey is emphasized as a major sport, McFarren’s talents found her accepting a field hockey scholarship to Indiana State in 1978.

Once on campus, the Potomac, MD, native spent her freshman year playing for Dr. Sue Pernice’s field hockey squad. And, having a little spare time in addition to her studies and competition, McFarren also managed to play on the Sycamores’ varsity badminton squad, as well.

During her sophomore season, one of McFarren’s teammates, who also happened to be on the softball team, challenged her to try out for that squad. With the gauntlet cast, McFarren considered that option, and while she really wanted to go out for softball, the toughest ordeal was having to tell Dr. Pernice that she wanted to try her talents in another sport. Pernice strung out her decision long enough to make Krista aware that she wasn’t really fired up about the idea, but granted her approval to play another varsity sport. From that point on, McFarren became one of Indiana State’s most successful two-sport athletes over the past quarter century.

On the hockey field, she was named as Indiana State’s Most Valuable Player, as well as earning all-Gateway Conference and all-Gateway Conference Tournament honors while leading the Sycamores’ to a second-place NCAA Regional finish. On the softball field between the years 1981-1983, she literally re-wrote the Indiana State record book. In 1981 she posted a .377 batting average, and for her career hit .327, numbers which at the time were tops on the chart and still rank in the top four among batting leaders. McFarren successfully stole 55-of-67 career stolen base attempts - an 83-percent success rate, and she held 11 school marks in six single-season and five career categories, records that still rank among the school’s best to this day.

Her on-the-field exploits earned her recognition as the 1982 Indiana State Woman Athlete of the Year, and she would later be honored as a member of the Gateway Conference Field Hockey all-Decade team. While she was accumulating these on-the-field honors, McFarren was enjoying just as much success in the classroom. A GTE Academic All-America honoree, she graduated cum laude in 1983, earning her bachelor of science degree in medical technology while minoring in mathematics.

Seeking yet another challenge, McFarren wished to pursue a career in medicine. That opportunity presented itself when she joined the United States Air Force and was admitted to the Uniform Services University of Health Sciences. From that experience, she followed a career in Military Health Sciences as a radiologist.

But her competitive days hadn’t come to a close, either. A group of Krista’s friends played competitive rugby and, as had become almost routine, challenged her to try her hand at the game. To say that McFarren excelled at this newfound sport would be a gross understatement. She explains the ease at which she adapted to this game of running and bodily contact as having many similarities to the game of field hockey. Whatever the reason, she rose to the top of the sport, not at a local or club level, but as one of our nation’s premier players. As a member of the United States Women’s National team, McFarren has traveled around the world numerous times while competing in three separate World Cup events and playing in front of as many as 50,000 fans in Hong Kong. She likes to say that you normally join the military to see the world, but it was rugby that provided with that opportunity! She retired as a player in 2000, but continues to serve as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Atlantic team.

Meanwhile, her career in the Air Force saw her rise to the rank of Lt. Colonel before retiring from active duty in July, 2001.

1978-1982