Jackie Barto has left her post as women’s head coach at Providence to become head coach of the Ohio State program, which begins varsity play in 1999-2000. Barto has already assumed her new position with the Buckeyes.
At Providence, Barto led the Lady Friars to a 55-30-6 record in four years. A 1984 graduate of Providence with a degree in business management, Barto served as an assistant with the Friars for six years, and has been associated with three of Providence College’s six ECAC crowns — as a player (1983-84), assistant coach (1993-94) and head coach (1994-95). Barto also was previously the head coach of Providence’s highly successful field hockey program.
As a player, Barto was one of the most prolific scorers to play at Providence. Her 113 career goals rank third on the school’s all-time list, and she was also a standout field hockey and softball player, captaining all three sports as a senior. She was inducted into the Providence College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.
Currently a club team, the OSU women’s ice hockey team competes in events sanctioned by the Central Collegiate Women’s Hockey Association (CCWHA). In that league, Ohio State is the defending champion, having beaten Western Michigan in the finals last season.
