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Golden Bears field hockey coach Sarah Kelly steps down

Date: 2/6/2014

SPRINGFIELD – Western New England University (WNE) Department of Athletics officials have announced that Sarah Kelly will be stepping down as the Golden Bears field hockey coach. Assistant Hannah Lott will take over the day-to-day aspects of the field hockey program as interim head coach.

Kelly will remain the department’s head strength and conditioning coach, varsity weight room supervisor and Wellness Center coordinator, and will assist in athletic training.

Western New England Director of Athletics Dr. Mike Theulen stated, “Sarah has been a very integral part of our Athletic Family for over a decade. Along with her coaching duties, her talents and work ethic have helped to shape a first-class strength training program for our student-athletes that is second to none and her work as our Wellness Director has been exceptional. In addition, being a licensed athletic trainer, she will assist our athletic training staff in practice and game coverage. We are pleased to support her as she transitions into her new role for our department.”

Kelly, who leaves as the field hockey program’s winningest coach with 94 victories, said, “Over the last 11 years I have coached many young women through their collegiate careers. It is my hope that I have helped mold their lives as much as they have mine. Western New England University Field Hockey will always hold a special place in my heart as I move forward with my professional career.”

During the 2012-13 academic year, Kelly’s squad produced 11 National Field Hockey Coaches Association Scholar All-Americans – the second-most for the school in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) era. During that time frame, she also coached WNE Female Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Shelby Van Huysen into a four-time All-CCC back.

Kelly directed the Golden Bears to a 14-9 record in 2006, which included a 7-1 mark for second place in their final season in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC). WNE also placed second in the NAC Tournament and participated in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Championship for the second time in three seasons.

She led WNE to a school-record 19-5 record in 2005 that broke the former mark of 14 victories set the previous year. Her team won its second consecutive regular season NAC title with a perfect 9-0 record and captured the program’s first-ever NAC Tournament title with a thrilling 2-1 victory over defending champion Maine-Farmington.

Western New England capped its record-breaking “Silver Anniversary” season by making its inaugural appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship.

In 2004, Kelly’s team posted a 14-9 record, which included an 8-1 mark for first place in the NAC. The 14 wins were two better than the old school record of 12 set in 2002, and the .609 winning percentage was the team’s best since 1981. The Golden Bears finished second in the NAC Tournament and participated in their first ECAC Division III New England Championship.

Kelly joined the Golden Bears Athletics staff in September 2002 as an assistant athletic trainer and fitness coordinator. A year later, her first field hockey team went 9-11 overall and reached the NAC Semifinals while producing four All-NAC picks.

All told, Kelly coached 33 all-conference selections, 67 NFCA Academic All-Stars, eight Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society, seven coaches’ all-region performers and 2013 WNE Downes Athletic Hall of Fame member Allison Jameson ’07 who earned both NFCA All-America Third Team and ESPN the Magazine First Team Academic All-America accolades her senior season. In addition, most of the program’s individual and team records have been established during her tenure.

Kelly is a 2000 graduate of Springfield College where she earned a bachelor of science degree in athletic training. She received a master of education degree in strength and conditioning in 2002.

While at Springfield College, Kelly served as captain of the field hockey team and was a three-time NFHCA All-America selection and NFHCA Academic Team honoree.