Curry announced Friday that Kelly Rider has been named the first head coach of the women’s hockey team that will play its first season in 2021-22.
The team will play in the CCC.
“It is with great excitement that I announce Kelly Rider as our first women’s ice hockey Head Coach here at Curry College,” said Curry athletic director Vinnie Eruzione in a statement. “Her passion and excitement for the sport of women’s ice hockey, experience in starting a program, desire to come back to the Boston area, and success as a Division I ice hockey student-athlete made her a perfect choice to start our women’s ice hockey program. Being a Division III administrator and coach for the past five years, she understands what being a D-III student-athlete is all about and that success on the ice, in the classroom, and in the community are of the utmost importance. Kelly will be a tireless recruiter who will bring in quality student-athletes, both nationally and internationally.”
Rider joins Curry after spending the last four years as the head coach at Northland, compiling a 25-71-5 record. She has also held titles of senior woman administrator and served as the interim associate athletic director at Northland.
“I am excited and honored to be selected as the first women’s hockey coach at Curry College,” said Rider. “I’d like to thank Vinnie Eruzione, President Quigley, Keith Robichaud, and the entire search committee for this opportunity. I’m thrilled to be back in the area that I call home, and I can’t wait to showcase all the great people, facilities, resources, and academic programs at Curry to recruits. I look forward to building, developing, and growing a competitive Colonels team that will have a lasting impact on our student-athletes, the college, and its community.”
Before her time at Northland, Rider spent two years at Neumann, one as an assistant and the second as head coach. She also served as an assistant for one season at nearby UMass Boston. Additionally, Rider also spent three seasons coaching high school and prep school hockey at Canton High School and the Dexter-Southfield School in Massachusetts.
Rider earned her Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training/sports medicine as well as a minor in biology from Quinnipiac in 2007 and completed her Master’s in Education with a specialization in coaching from Boston University in 2010.
