College of the Holy Cross Women's Ice Hockey

Katie Lachapelle is in her seventh season as head coach of the Holy Cross women’s ice hockey program in 2025-2026. With over 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, Lachapelle has coached numerous All-League selections, All-Americans, Patty Kazmaier Award finalists, national team members and Olympians. In 2024-2025, Lachapelle’s team recorded 10 overall victories and 25 points in the conference standings, which were both the highest totals since the program joined Hockey East. During the season, the Crusaders earned a 2-1 overtime victory over No. 10 Boston College, while tying No. 13 Northeastern 4-4. In addition, Abby Hornung earned second team All-Hockey East honors. During the 2023-2024 campaign, Lachapelle led the Crusaders to their first-ever Hockey East tournament victory, downing Boston University 4-2 in the opening round. Other notable wins included a 1-0 victory over No. 13 Northeastern and a 3-2 defeat of No. 12 Vermont, both in overtime.  In 2022-2023, Lachapelle’s squad tallied six Hockey East victories, including a pair of wins over ranked opponents (No. 14 Vermont and No. 15 Connecticut). Holy Cross also defeated Boston University in Frozen Fenway, while Casey Borgiel was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team. Previously during the 2021-2022 season, goaltender Jada Brenon broke the Holy Cross program record for career saves (3,078) and the Hockey East career saves record in conference games (2,668). In 2020-2021, Antonia Matzka was named third team All-Hockey East, with Millie Sirum being selected to the Hockey East All-Rookie team. In addition, Matzka and Allison Attea both signed with the Buffalo Beauts of the NWHL. During her first season as head coach in 2019-2020, Lachapelle helped increase the team’s win total from year one to year two in Hockey East by four and increase its conference point total by nine. Off the ice, Lachapelle’s teams have consistently displayed a dedication to community service and academics. In recent years, Lilly Feeney received the Daniel Allen Sportsmanship Award, the Crusader in the Community Award and a Presidential Service Award, while Carly Beniek earned the Sarah Devens Award and a Presidential Service Award . In addition, Holy Cross has totaled 28 Krampade All-American Scholars during Lachapelle’s tenure.  Prior to her time as head coach, Lachapelle was the Crusaders’ associate head coach for two years. During the 2018-2019 campaign, she was crucial to the team’s transition into Hockey East, including the program’s first win over a top five team when Holy Cross defeated No. 5 Northeastern 5-3. In 2017-2018, Lachapelle helped the Crusaders to a 16-9-3 record, with Kara Violette being named the NEWHA Player of the Year and Tori Messina earning Defender of the Year honors. Lachapelle came to Holy Cross after spending nine seasons as an assistant coach at Boston University from 2008-2017. She helped guide the Terriers to five Hockey East titles, six NCAA Tournament appearances and two trips to the Frozen Four, making the national title game in both 2011 and 2013. In 2013, she received the Women’s Ice Hockey Assistant Coach Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association, honoring her complete body of work as an assistant coach. Prior to her time at Boston University, Lachapelle spent four years as an assistant coach at Ohio State from 2004-2008, with the Buckeyes going 67-65-15 during her tenure. She previously served as an assistant coach at Niagara for three years from 2001-2004, with the Purple Eagles posting a 49-49-8 overall record and advancing to the 2002 NCAA Frozen Four. Lachapelle began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Union for two seasons from 1999-2001.  In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Lachapelle served as the head coach of the United States under-18 women’s national team from 2021-2023. She led her squad to a silver medal at the 2022 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, along with a bronze medal in 2023 (the 2021 championship was canceled due to COVID-19). Lachapelle was also a coach and evaluator at the 2022 U.S. Olympic team tryout camp.  Lachapelle has held numerous additional other positions with the U.S. women’s national team throughout her career. She served as an assistant coach for the under-22 women’s national team from 2018-2020, and as a camp coach at the women’s national team’s September camp and winter training camp in 2018. She got her start at the national level as an assistant coach of the under-18 women’s national team, from 2013-2017, helping those teams win three gold medals and one silver medal at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship. Additionally, Lachapelle coached at various girls’ select 14, 15 and 16 player development camps. Lachapelle is a 1999 graduate of Providence College with a bachelor’s degree in social science. She was a four-year letterwinner for the Friars, serving as an assistant captain her junior year and a captain her season year. She was also selected to the 1997 ECAC All-Star team.

Van Buskirk led the Crusaders to a perfect 12-0-0 record at home and earned his sixth NEHC Open Tournament Title with a 4-3 OT victory over St. Anselm. It marked Holy Cross' eighth-straight appearance in the title game, and their 11th all-time appearance in the championship. Kara Violette was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, and both Elizabeth Scala and Tessie Salatas were named to the NEHC Open All-Tournament team. The Crusaders finished the season with a 24-3 oveall record, notching thier ninth consecutive season with a winning percentage of .648 or higher. Izzy Bagi was named to the All-New England team, as well as first team All-Conference. Mackenzie Boardman was named second team All-Conference and Julie Matthias was named to the All-Rookie team.    Van Buskirk led Holy Cross to an ECAC Open Tournament Title in 2015 with a 4-1 victory over Franklin Pierce. It was the Crusaders' seventh straight appearance in an ECAC Open Championship game, and their fifth Championship victory. Senior Goaltender was named Most Outstanding Player at the ECAC Open Tournament with a .958 save% and a 1.00 GAA, while senior forward Mary Klimasewski and sophomore defenseman Isabela Bagi were named to the all-tournament team. The Crusaders finished the season with a record of 18-7-3. In 2011, the Crusaders won the ECAC Open in a shoot out over St. Anselm. Senior Jocelyn Kratchmer was named tournament MVP, marking the third consecutive season a Crusader had garnered the award. Kratchmer and Hochkins were named to the All-Tournament team, and the duo was joined by senior Emily Henry on the  All-ECAC East team. Hochkins also earned RBK All-America honors and New England All-Star honors for the second consecutive season.      Van Buskirk coached the Crusaders to the 2010 ECAC Open title and a second place finish in the ECAC East. At the 2010 American Hockey Coaches Association convention, Van Buskirk was honored with the John Snooks Kelley Founders Award. Named after the famed Boston College coach, the award honors those people in the coaching profession who have contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of ice hockey in the United States. During the 2008-2009 season, Van Buskirk led the Crusaders to an ECAC East regular season title, an ECAC Open championship, a school record 24 wins (24-2-1) and was named the ECAC East Coach of the Year. Holy Cross 117 single-season goals scored ranked number one all-time at Holy Cross, its 37 single-season goals allowed were the fewest all-time and its seven shutouts were second all-time. Van Buskirk coached the ECAC East Rookie of the Year, had three student-athletes make the ECAC East all-conference team and had five student-athletes named to the ECAC East All-Academic team. Van Buskirks success did not occur overnight, as during the 2002-2003 season he helped the Crusaders compile a 17-7-1 overall record and win the ECAC championship title in only their fourth season as a varsity team. Van Buskirk has been affiliated with the Holy Cross ice hockey program for over 30 years. From 1979-1988 he served as the mens head coach before returning to the bench as an assistant from 1991-1996 and head coach again for the 1996-1997 season. Van Buskirk is Holy Cross second most successful mens coach, with a record of 167-146-8 throughout 10 seasons. During his tenure as head coach of the mens team, Van Buskirk guided the Crusaders to eight ECAC East playoff appearances and also earned College Coach of the Year honors in 1983. He reassumed the mens head coaching duties for the 1996-1997 season, guiding his squad to a 14-13-0 mark and earning a fourth consecutive trip to the ECAC East Tournament. Prior to coming to Holy Cross, Van Buskirk served as the head coach at Hudson High School from 1973-1979. During his tenure, he guided the Hawks to five Central Massachusetts titles, three district crowns and a Division I State Championship in 1978. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at St. Johns High School in 1972. A 1965 graduate and two-sport athlete at the University of New Hampshire, Van Buskirk served as a lieutenant in the Army Infantry from 1966-1968. He also holds his masters degree in education from Boston State College. Van Buskirk is a member of both the Hudson High School and University of New Hampshire Athletic Halls of Fame. In addition to coaching, Van Buskirk has served as the director of several hockey schools. From 1976-1979, he served as the director of the Los Angeles Hockey School and the Squaw Valley Hockey School.