Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gillian Apps has joined the Boston College women’s team as an assistant coach and will work with the Eagles’ forwards and also handle many of the team’s administrative duties.
Apps joins associate head coach Courtney Kennedy and volunteer assistant coach Alison Quandt on head coach Katie Crowley’s staff.
“We’re very excited for Gillian to join our staff,” Crowley said in a statement. “Gill has played at the highest level with Team Canada and I’m excited for her to share her extensive experience and knowledge of the game with our players.”
“I’m honored and excited to be joining the Boston College women’s hockey program, and I’m really looking forward to working with such a talented group of players,” added Apps. “I would like to thank Katie Crowley, Courtney Kennedy and the Boston College athletic department for giving me this opportunity.”
Apps was a 14-year member of Canada’s national team and was part of three Olympic gold-medal teams: 2006 in Turin, 2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi. She retired from international play in Sept. 2015 with 50 goals and 50 assists in 168 international appearances. In addition to Olympic gold in all three of her appearances, Apps is also a three-time World Champion (2004, 2007, 2012).
A 2007 Dartmouth graduate, Apps has a degree in psychology. While a member of the Big Green, Apps played 113 games, scoring 90 goals and adding 68 assists. She captained the team as a senior, posting a career-best 46 points (30 goals, 16 assists) en route to ECAC Player of the Year accolades, New England Hockey Writers Association MVP and Patty Kazmaier Top 10 finalist honors.
Professionally, Apps played six seasons with the Brampton Thunder of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, helping the club win the 2008 CWHL championship in her rookie season. In 2011-12, she led the squad in scoring with 39 points (19 goals, 20 assists) in 27 games.
Apps comes from a highly successful sporting family. Her grandfather, Syl Apps, won three Stanley Cups in the 1940s as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Her father, Syl Jr., enjoyed a 10-year NHL career, while her brother, Syl III, starred at Princeton before signing an NHL contract. Apps’ sister Amy was a member of Canada’s women’s national soccer team, while her cousin – Darren Barber – was a gold medalist in coxed eights at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic games.
