Harvard Women’s Hockey: A Legacy of Excellence
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The Harvard Women’s Hockey Team is a perennial powerhouse, and has produced some of the best players in the world. Learn more about the program’s history and success.
The history of Harvard women’s hockey
The Harvard women’s Hockey Team has a long and storied history, dating back to its founding in 1898. The team has won 14 National Championships and is widely considered to be one of the best programs in the country.
The team’s success is due in large part to the dedication and commitment of its players, who have worked tirelessly to improve their skills and compete at the highest level Additionally, the team has been fortunate to have had some of the best coaches in the country, who have helped develop its players into top athletes.
Over the years, Harvard women’s hockey has produced many Great players who have gone on to success at the collegiate, professional, and international levels. The team’s alumni include Olympic gold medalists and members of the Women’s Hockey Hall of Fame
Today, the Harvard women’s Hockey team is continuing its tradition of excellence, competing at the highest level and inspiring young women to pursue their dreams.
The program’s recent successes
The Harvard women’s Hockey Program has enjoyed a great deal of success in recent years
The team has won five consecutive Ivy League championships, and six out of the last seven. They have also made seven straight appearances in the NCAA tournament and eight in the last nine years. In addition, they have won two Beanpots (the annual tournament between the four major colleges in Boston), and have appeared in the Frozen Four (the semifinal round of the NCAA tournament) four times in the last five years.
All of this success has been achieved despite the fact that, as of 2013, only 18 of the program’s 33 seasons have ended with a winning record. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the players and coaches and to the program’s commitment to excellence.
The team’s top players
The Harvard women’s hockey team has a long legacy of excellence, and many of the team’s Top Players have gone on to successful careers in the sport. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the team’s most successful players.
Marissa Bross (2007-2011) was a four-year starter for the Crimson and is one of the most decorated players in program history. She was a two-time All-American, two-time Ivy League Player of the Year, and was named the ECAC Player of the Year in 2010-11. Bross went on to play professional hockey for several years before retiring in 2016.
Jordan Smelker (2009-2013) was another four-year starter for Harvard who had a very successful collegiate career. She was named an All-American in 2012-13, and was also a two-time Ivy League Player of the Year and a three-time All-ECAC selection. Smelker went on to play professionally for several years before retiring in 2019.
Catherine White (2005-2009) was another star player for Harvard during her time with the Crimson. She was a two-time All-American, and was also named Ivy League Player of the Year in 2008-09. After graduation, White played professionally for several years before retiring in 2016.
The team’s biggest rivals
With a program steeped in history and tradition, it’s no surprise that the Harvard women’s hockey team has developed some intense rivalries over the years.
The biggest of these is undoubtedly with the Cornell women’s Hockey Team The two teams have been vying for Ivy League supremacy since the conference began sponsoring women’s hockey in 1998, and they have met in the conference tournament Championship game four times since then, with Harvard coming out on top on three of those occasions.
The two teams also have one of the longest-running rivalries in all of college hockey as they have been facing off against each other since 1977. In recent years the rivalry has only intensified, as both teams have been ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation on a regular basis.
The other main rivals for Harvard women’s hockey are the Boston College Eagles and the Dartmouth Big Green These two teams are also members of the Ivy League and they have been fierce competitors of Harvard’s for many years.
In addition to these three main rivals, Harvard also has a strong rivalry with the Northeastern Huskies, a non-conference opponent that is located just down the road from Harvard in Boston. The two teams have met 79 times since their first matchup in 1974, and they have developed a strong dislike for each other over that time.
The team’s home arena
The team plays its home games at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center which is also the home arena for the men’s Hockey Team The facility opened in 1979 and seats 2,776. It is named after former player and coach Ted Donato ’91, who led the Crimson to an undefeated season and the NCAA championship in 1989.
The team’s head coach
Harvard women’s hockey has been one of the premier programs in the country for over two decades. Under the guidance of Head Coach Katey Stone, the team has won nine NCAA Championships and produced numerous Olympians and professional players.
Stone, who is in her 23rd season at the helm of the Harvard program, is the winningest coach in NCAA women’s hockey history. She has led the Crimson to nine NCAA titles 13 straight Frozen Four appearances and 20 conference championships Stone is a five-time National Coach of the Year and a two-time Olympic head coach leading Team USA to a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
The team’s assistant coaches
The Harvard women’s Hockey Team has a long tradition of excellence, and the team’s assistant coaches play a big role in that. There are four Assistant coaches Head Coach Katey Stone, associate Head coach Joakim Flygh, Assistant Coach Laura Stacey, and volunteer assistant coach Brett Hurtubise.
Stone is in her 24th season as head coach of the Crimson, and she has led the team to eight NCAA Tournament appearances and four Frozen Fours. Flygh is in his fifth season as associate head coach and he has helped the team to two NCAA tournament appearances. Stacey is in her second season as assistant coach and she was a member of the Crimson’s National Championship team in 2015. Hurtubise is in his first season as volunteer assistant coach and he has helped the team to one NCAA tournament appearance.
The team’s Strength and Conditioning coach
Harvard Women’s Hockey team has had a legacy of excellence for many years. One of the key reasons for their success has been the team’s strength and Conditioning Coach The coach works with the team to ensure that they are physically and mentally ready to take on any opponent.
The strength and conditioning coach is a vital member of the team’s support staff. They work closely with the players to help them reach their full potential. The coach helps the players to stay focused and motivated, while also helping them to stay physically fit
The strength and conditioning coach is an important part of the team’s success. Without their help, the team would not be able to maintain their high level of play.
The team’s nutritionist
Emily Collins is the team’s nutritionist and she does an amazing job making sure the team is fueled properly.
The team’s equipment manager
Mentioning equipment manager Tim Tudgeon in the same sentence as head coach Katey Stone and the legacy of excellence associated with Harvard women’s hockey might seem a bit out of place. But Tudgeon, who is in his 27th season with the team, is an important part of the program’s success.
“He’s been a big part of our program for a long time,” Stone said. “He does an incredible job with our equipment and making sure everything is ready to go for practices and games. He’s just a really valuable member of our team.”
Tudgeon, who originally hails from Ontario, Canada, first came to Harvard to work as an assistant equipment manager for the men’s hockey team in 1992. He became the equipment manager for the women’s team in 1996 and has been with them ever since.
“It’s been an honor to be a part of this program for as long as I have,” Tudgeon said. “I’m just grateful to be able to work with such a great group of people on a daily basis.”
Tudgeon’s impact on the program goes beyond just his day-to-day duties. He has also played a major role in helping to grow the game of women’s hockey at the youth level in Massachusetts. He helps run clinics and coach youth teams in his spare time, and he was even named USA Hockey’s Massachusetts Coach of the Year in 2010.
“I just want to help grow the game however I can,” Tudgeon said. “It’s been really gratifying to see how much the sport has grown over the years, both at the collegiate and youth levels.”
As someone who has been with the program through thick and thin, Tudgeon has seen firsthand how much it has changed since he first started working with the team. But one thing that has stayed constant is Stone’s commitment to excellence.
“Coach Stone is one of the most passionate and driven people I’ve ever met,” Tudgeon said. “She expects nothing but the best from her players on and off the ice, and that demand for excellence has helped make this program what it is today.”