NEWARK, Del. – With over two decades of women’s ice hockey coaching experience, the University of Delaware has selected Allison Coomey (pronounced KOO-me) to be the inaugural head coach of the women’s ice hockey program, Director of Athletics, Community, and Campus Recreation Chrissi Rawak announced Tuesday. Coomey will assume the role on April 1, 2024 with the program playing its inaugural season in 2025-26.
“I’m excited to welcome Allison to our Blue Hen community,” Rawak said. “With her wealth of knowledge, ice hockey expertise, and experiences at the collegiate and USA national team level, she is the perfect person to build and lead this program. She’s an incredible coach who believes in the importance of a well-rounded student-athlete experience and recognizes the opportunity that we have here at Delaware to create something exceptional!”
Coomey comes to Newark after spending the past seven seasons at Penn State. She served as an assistant coach for three seasons before being promoted to associate head coach in 2020-21.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Chrissi Rawak, Karen Freed, and the entire executive team for entrusting me with the opportunity to lead this program as its inaugural head coach,” Coomey said. “It’s an honor to help bring the excitement of Division I Ice Hockey to the 302. The University of Delaware is an extraordinary institution and is globally recognized for its excellence. The support for student-athletes and state-of-the-art athletic facilities have given us a solid foundation to build upon.
I am deeply appreciative of the coaches who have influenced my journey over the past two decades. Kristin Steele, Kevin Houle, Margot Page, Brian Durocher, and Jeff Kampersal have each exemplified qualities that I aspire to embody as the head coach of this program. I am so excited to be a Blue Hen!”
Over the course of her career, Coomey has coached four student-athletes to the Olympics, eight to national teams, four All-Americans, 15 major conference award winners, and 47 All-Conference selections over her time at Penn State and Boston U.
No stranger to the Hens’ inaugural conference, College Hockey America (CHA), Coomey and the Nittany Lions captured the past two league tournament titles, earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The team also claimed the CHA regular season title in three of the past four seasons.
Primarily responsible for coaching defense, Coomey’s leadership turned the Nittany Lions into one of the best defensive units in the country by allowing just 1.88 goals per game over the past five seasons dating back to 2019-20.
Selected for various international coaching roles with USA Hockey, Coomey was on staff with the silver-medal winning USA National Team at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games as a team scout and extension of the coaching staff. Coomey also served as the head coach for the U23 US Women’s National Team in 2021 and 2022.
Coomey also spent time as an assistant coach for the USA senior national team during the 2021 IIHF World Championship. She was also a member of USA Hockey’s scouting staff at the 2019 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.
At the 2019 America Hockey Coaches Association Convention, Coomey received the AHCA Women’s Hockey Assistant Coach of the Year award for her outstanding career resume.
Prior to Penn State, Coomey spent nine seasons at Boston University where she helped the Terriers qualify for the NCAA Tournament six times, including a pair of NCAA Championship appearances in 2011 and 2013. While at BU, Coomey coached four Olympians who combined to win six gold medals for the Canadian National Team at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
A four-year letterwinner at Niagara, Coomey returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach from 2004-08, helping the Purple Eagles reach the CHA title game twice.
Before Niagara, Coomey served as an assistant coach at Plattsburgh in 2003-04 where she helped guide the Cardinals to the 2004 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) West Division III regular-season title and the NCAA Division III semifinals.
The Baldwinsville, New York, native earned two degrees from Niagara, a bachelor’s degree in education in 2002 and a master’s degree in school counseling in 2008. She was a two-time ECAC All-Academic Team member and earned a spot on the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
Following graduation, Coomey secured her first job in the industry as an assistant women’s hockey coach at Connecticut College.
Coomey was a two-sport letterwinner at Niagara, playing ice hockey and lacrosse from 1998-2002. On the ice, she served as an alternate captain during her senior season and helped the team to its most successful campaign in program history. The Purple Eagles reached the 2002 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four and finished tied for third in the final national poll. On the lacrosse field, she earned the team’s rookie of the year award.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT ALLISON COOMEY…
“Delaware hired an absolute gem of a human being. Allison is a brilliant coach and a compassionate mentor. The women of Delaware will learn to do things the right way on and off the ice. They will be valued, cared for, and heard. Personally, I will miss seeing Allison every day. She is a loyal friend, someone who has shaped my life positively. Unknowingly, she has made me a better person. I’m proud of Allison, she deserves this opportunity.”
Jeff Kampersal
Penn State Head Women’s Ice Hockey Coach
“Allison Coomey is a person of impeccable character who has already distinguished herself as a leader, mentor, and coach at all levels of college and international hockey. She will bring a diverse resume and a plethora of experience to the challenge of starting a new varsity program. You will not find a more passionate, caring and focused individual then Allison. Her success is easily identified by the record of accomplishment that she left behind at institutions like Plattsburgh State, Niagara, Boston University and Penn State. I am highly confident that the University of Delaware will welcome a pillar in the community, a fantastic coach, and a person who does things right.”
Brian Durocher
Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics, Boston University
Retired Head Women’s Ice Hockey Coach
10th All-time in Division I Women’s Ice Hockey Wins
“I am incredibly excited to see the expansion of NCAA women’s hockey continue and the University of Delaware’s addition of a D1 program. The University has hit a home run with the hiring of head coach Allison Coomey. Allison’s time as a player, her many roles with Team USA, and her most recent role as associate head coach at Penn State University, has provided her the tools to be an amazing head coach at the University of Delaware. I am thrilled for Allison and wish her all the best in this new role.”
Katie Million
Director, Women’s National Team Programs, USA Hockey
“I have had the pleasure to coach with and be coached by Coomey. The first time I was coached by Coomey was during my playing career with the USA National Team. I realized her passion for the game right away. This coupled with her intelligence allowed me to grow as a player. During our time working together with the USA U18 Team, her professionalism stood out to me. The University of Delaware is very lucky to have Coach Coomey and I am so excited to see her impact the game as a head coach! The program is in good hands!”
Brianna Decker
2018 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2022 Olympic Silver Medalist
USA U18 Assistant Coach 2024 – IIHF Gold Medal
(Photo provided by University of Delaware Athletic Department)
