Hamilton College's Emily McNamara has been selected the 2023 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Women's Division III Coach of the Year.
AHCA Women's D3 Coach of the Year release
McNamara, who has been the head coach since 2012-13, is guiding the Continentals through an historic season. This is her first national award and she's the first Hamilton coach that has received it. McNamara is also just the second woman honored since the AHCA started recognizing a coach of the year in 2000.
McNamara has the Continentals in the semifinals of the 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Hockey Championship in the team's first appearance in the event. Hamilton plays Amherst College at Amherst on Friday, March 17 after the Continentals defeated Nazareth College 3-1 in the first round and shut out Adrian College on the road in the quarterfinals.
The nationally ranked No. 6 Continentals have won a team-record 22 games (the previous record was 16) and have an overall record of 22-5-2. McNamara was voted the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Coach of the Year earlier this month after Hamilton went 12-3-1 in the conference for an all-time best second place finish and advanced to the NESCAC championship final for the first time.
McNamara's career record with the Continentals is 135-94-23. Her coaching staff includes assistant coach Kayte Holtz and goaltending coach Chris Cobb.
McNamara was an assistant coach at Middlebury College from 2007 to 2011. She helped the Panthers win three national titles from 2004 to 2006 as a player. The defender served as a team captain during the 2006-07 season and she graduated with a degree in English. McNamara is from North Hampton, N.H., and was a three-sport varsity athlete at Phillips Exeter Academy.
