Providence College Women's Hockey Head Coach Matt Kelly Steps Down, Moves To Bishop Kearney

Providence College has had Matt Kelly behind the bench of their women's hockey team for eight years. That will change next season after Kelly announced his resignation from the job on Sunday. Kelly will make the move to serve as head coach at Bishop Kearney for their U-19 program. "We are incredibly excited to welcome Matt Kelly to Bishop Kearney and our Girls Hockey program," said Cari Coen, Girls Hockey Director and U-19 Associate Coach in a news release. "His experience speaks for itself, but what stood out even more was his passion for developing young women, his understanding of what it takes to reach the highest levels of our game, and how closely his values align with what we are building at BK. Our players are going to benefit tremendously from his leadership, knowledge, and ability to develop them both as hockey players and people."  Providence assistant Coach Nicole Norton is set to take over as interim head coach for the Friars, and assistant coach and former professional hockey netminder Katie Burt was elevated to the role of interim associate head coach.  "I want to thank Matt for his work over the last eight years in Friartown," Providence College athletic director Steve Napolillo said in a news release. "We are grateful for his contributions to the women's ice hockey program and we wish him and his family all the best in the future. We are excited to have Nicole step into the role of interim head coach. She has been an integral part of our program the last five seasons and we are confident in her ability to lead the program forward this season." Prior to Providence, Kelly spent four seasons scouting for USA's U-18 national team, and for the 2018 Olympic roster. In his time with a 136-78-21 conference record in Hockey East. Norton is entering her sixth season with the Providence College Friars, and two with Long Island University prior to that. Reichen Kirchmair, a Providence College alum discusses joining PWHL San Jose