Kelsi Lykens to Lead New Haven’s Inaugural Women’s Field Hockey Team

Kelsi Lykens to Lead New Haven’s Inaugural Women’s Field Hockey Team
Posted: Jan 18, 2017

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – New Haven Associate Vice President, Director of Athletics and Recreation Deborah Chin announced the hiring of Kelsi Lykens as the department's first-ever head field hockey coach.

Lykens was most recently the assistant field hockey coach at Sacred Heart University and will spearhead the first-ever varsity field hockey team in the fall of 2017.

"We welcome Kelsi to the Charger Nation Family and look forward to working with her in building a new tradition of field hockey at New Haven," said Chin. "Kelsi brings a unique set of qualities both as a coach and a former Division II student-athlete. Her background as a player and passion for field hockey will make her a great fit at New Haven."

Lykens began her coaching career as an assistant coach at her alma mater West Chester State University in Pennsylvania, helping lead the team to a conference championship in 2014. Most recently, she spent the past two seasons at Sacred Heart where she was responsible for recruiting, scheduling, film breakdown, practice preparation, coordinating community service, developing camps and clinics as well as travel planning.

"I am honored to be named the first head coach at the University of New Haven," said Lykens. "The opportunity to build a program from the ground up and shape a new tradition at New Haven is exciting. The decision to add a field hockey program enhances the development of the sport at the Division II level. After playing four years at the Division I and Division II levels, I am excited to be back in a highly competitive environment."

Lykens capped off a highly decorated playing career at West Chester by earning back-to-back Division II All-America First Team accolades in 2012 and 2013. She was also named the Division II Field Hockey Athlete of the Year following her senior campaign and helped lead the Golden Rams to the National Championship in 2011 and 2012. In addition to her Division II Field Hockey Athlete of the Year accolades, she was also named as the Field Hockey nominee for the Division II Honda Sports Award.

The Mohrsville, Pa. native earned a Bachelor's Degree in professional studies with a minor in health and professional education in May of 2014. Lykens closed out her collegiate career ranked first in Division II history at West Chester with 29 career assists as well as third in career goals (33) and second in career points (95).

New Haven announced the addition of field hockey as the 17th sport sponsored by the University on October 18, 2016. The Chargers will become the 14th field hockey member in the Northeast-10 Conference that features five of the top-10 teams in nation and a representative in the national championship game in each of the last 17 years.

 

Information for this release provided by the New Haven athletic communications staff

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,500 student-athletes. 

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.