Hilary Witt

American ice hockey player

Hilary Witt
Medal record
Representing  United States
Women's ice hockey
IIHF World Women's Championships
Silver medal – second place 2001 Tournament

Hilary Witt is the head coach of the University of New Hampshire women's hockey team. Witt is a member of the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame and Northeastern's Hall of Fame.[1]

Playing career

Witt came to Northeastern University in 1996 with a strong athletic resume from Canton High School in Canton, Massachusetts. In hockey she played on the Assabet Valley Club team for four years while they won two National Championships. In her freshman year, she helped the Huskies to a 27–9 season and the 1997 ECAC Championship. Witt scored two goals, including the game winner, in the 3–2 title win over New Hampshire and as a rookie was named the tournament MVP. She led the team in scoring that season with 24 goals.

In Witt's sophomore season she led the team in scoring once again with 32 goals, and her 58 points (ranked in the nation's top 10). She was a nominee for the Patty Kazmaier Award. She was also voted All-ECAC. The team went 26–6–5 and qualified for the ECAC Tournament and the semifinals of the first ever women's hockey National Championship.

As a junior, Witt led NU with 27 goals, and was in the nation's top 10 in scoring. Once again, she was a Kazmaier nominee. The team went 25–7–3 and went on to the ECAC Tournament. Witt captained Northeastern's 1999–2000 team to a 22–9–3 season and another post-season appearance. She led NU in scoring with 30 goals for the fourth consecutive year.[2] In terms of scoring, was in the nation's top 10, and was voted All-ECAC. Also, for the third year in a row she was a Kazmaier candidate.

She was a member of the U.S. National Team in 2001. On February 10, 2010, she was inducted into the Women's Beanpot Hall of Fame. Witt is Northeastern's all-time leading scorer and helped the Huskies to a pair of Beanpot championships (1997 and 1998) along with the 1997 ECAC championship. She had 20 career points in Beanpot competition, also a Northeastern record. Overall, she totaled 113 goals, 95 assists and 208 points for her career (1997–2000).[1] Her career totals of 113 goals and 208 points are second all time among Huskies players, behind Kendall Coyne. Witt's 95 assists rank third overall. She is Northeastern's all-time leader for career power play goals with 33. During her career at Northeastern, the team won 100 games, lost 31 and tied 11, while qualifying for the post-season every year.

Coaching career

Witt joined the Yale Bulldogs as an assistant coach in 2001–02 and became head coach the following season. She was named ECAC Women's Coach of the Year in 2002–03, and became Yale's all-time leader in wins in 2005. Witt was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2006 Four Nations Cup.[3] The 2004–05 squad set the school record for overall wins (16) and conference wins (12), earning a trip to the ECAC semifinals for the first time. The 2007–08 team broke the school record for goals in a season with 96 and finished with the second-most wins in school history, 15. Witt announced that she was leaving Yale in June 2010.

On April 23, 2014, Witt was introduced as the head coach at the University of New Hampshire.[4]

Coaching record

Year Wins Losses Ties Coach Postseason
2009–10 Hilary Witt
2008–09 12 16 1 Hilary Witt
2007–08 11 14 6 Hilary Witt
2006–07 15 14 2 Hilary Witt
2005–06 11 15 5 Hilary Witt
2004–05 16 15 1 Hilary Witt
2003–04 12 16 3 Hilary Witt
2002–03 9 20 2 Hilary Witt

Source:[5]

Awards and honors

  • 1997 ECAC Tournament Most Valuable Player [6]
  • ECAC Women's Coach of the Year in 2002–03
  • Witt was a three-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top women's player in college hockey.
  • 2010 Inductee, Women's Beanpot Hall of Fame[7]

References

  1. ^ a b "Hilary Witt Inducted into Women's Beanpot Hall of Fame – Yale Bulldogs". Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ Meet the new Team USA, by Richard O'Brien, p.E6, The Record:Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, Saturday, November 4, 2006
  4. ^ Al Pike. (April 23, 2014).UNH taps Witt Former Yale coach to replace McCloskey fosters.com Archived April 24, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Womens college hockey". USCO. Retrieved February 22, 2023. [dead link]
  6. ^ "ECAC Hockey" (PDF).
  7. ^ Women's Beanpot Hall of Fame Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  • v
  • t
  • e
Yale Bulldogs women's ice hockey
Playing venues
  • Ingalls Rink
Head coaches
  • Tyler Benson (1977–1982)
  • Peter Downey (1982–1984)
  • Kathy Lenahan (1984–1986)
  • Dave Beecher (1986–1987)
  • Vic Russo (1987–1989)
  • Barry Curseaden (1989–1992)
  • Joe Snecinski (1992–1997)
  • John Marchetti (1997–2002)
  • Hilary Witt (2002–2010)
  • Joakim Flygh (2010–2019)
  • Mark Bolding (2019–present)
Seasons
Conference affiliations
RivalriesCulture & loreAll-time leaders
Maria Dennis (96 goals, 68 assists, 164 points)

Jackee Snikeris (16 shutouts, 2.12 goals against average, .931 save percentage)

Laurie Belliveau (4,259 saves)
OlympiansYale's Mandi Schwartz Award
  • Lynn Kennedy, Genny Ladiges (2011–12)
  • Danielle Moncion (2012–13)
  • Jackie Raines (2013–14)
  • Stephanie Mock (2014–15)
  • Gretchen Tarrant (2015–16)
  • Eden Murray (2016–17 and 2017–18)
  • Kaitlyn Rippon (2018–19)
  • Charlotte Welch (2019–20)
  • Yale University
  • New Haven, CT
  • v
  • t
  • e
New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey
Playing venues
Head coaches
  • Russ McCurdy (1977–1992)
  • Karen Kay (1992–2002)
  • Brian McCloskey (2002–2013)
  • Hilary Witt (2014–)
Seasons
Conference affiliations
All-time leaders
  • Carisa Zaban (263 points, 145 assists)
  • Brandy Fisher (129 goals)
  • Melissa Bourdon (86 wins, 30 shutouts)
  • Jen Huggon (2851 saves)
All-Americans
Women's Frozen Four appearances
NCAA Tournament appearances
Conference Tournament champions
  • ECAC: 1986
  • 1987
  • 1990
  • 1991
  • 1996
Patty Kazmaier winners
Olympians