We’ve written about the trailblazing Kelsey Koelzer before.
From her historic hire at Arcadia University to the first time she stepped on the ice as the head coach of their women’s ice hockey team, she continues to be a leader and an inspiration.
Her fledgling team began its inaugural season in early November, two years after Koelzer was hired to build and lead the program from scratch.
They started off 0-6, something not too shocking considering the team just started play.
But on Friday night, Koelzer added her name to the history books once again, this time with her first win as the team’s head coach.
The Arcadia Knights, a DIII school, defeated Manhattanville 3-2, ending the losing streak and giving the program its first victory.
The Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second period before Manhattanville scored before intermission. Late in the third period, Manhattanville scored again to tie the game 2-2. But two short minutes later, the Knights responded with a goal of their own, which proved to be the deciding goal in the game.
It was history for the program and another accolade for Koelzer’s trailblazing resume.
Koelzer was a three-time, First-team All-Ivy League honoree for the Tigers and Princeton’s first First-team All-American. She was the team captain in her senior year as well as the Ivy League Player of the Year and Ivy League Champion. She also led the Tigers to the NCAA national quarterfinals.
Koelzer was drafted by the Metropolitan Riveters of the NWHL with the first overall pick in 2016, making her the first African American player selected with the top pick in the highest level of professional hockey in America.
Koelzer rewarded the team two years later when she led the Riveters to the NWHL championship and was named co-MVP of the 2018 NWHL All-Star Game.
A year later, Arcadia offered her the opportunity to build and lead their yet-to-be-launched women’s hockey program.
Now, two years after agreeing to take the job, the 26-year-old netted her first win as a head hockey coach.
