NORTH ANDOVER — Courtney Kennedy has spent much of her life around Merrimack College. Growing up in Woburn, a hockey hotbed, and later coaching after her professional career, she estimates she’s visited Merrimack dozens of times — as a player, a scout for Hockey Night in Boston, and as a frequent visitor during her 17 years as a Boston College assistant coach.
Ironically, Kennedy’s favorite Merrimack memory has nothing to do with hockey.
“Honestly, it was sometime in the mid-1990s, after they’d just paved a bunch of sidewalks and roads on campus,” she said. “I had a friend from Andover and we’d rollerblade all over the place. It was awesome.”
Back then, Merrimack didn’t leave much of an impression. That changed last month, when Kennedy went through the interview and hiring process for her new job, as Merrimack College women’s hockey head coach.
“Going through the interview, meeting people, actually walking around the campus — I couldn’t believe what I saw,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t realize what Merrimack was about. I’d always just come here and leave; no big deal. But this time, I got to experience the energy, the beautiful buildings, the students, the athletics staff … it was very appealing.”
The day her hiring was announced, Kennedy had another epiphany. It was hours before everyone headed to the TD Garden to see the Merrimack men’s team play in the Hockey East Tournament semifinal against UMass Amherst.
“I knew that day that I absolutely made the right choice,” she said. “The hype on campus was electric. The staff, the students, the athletes — everyone was buzzing. From the interns to the president, seeing Merrimack represented so well at the Garden … I couldn’t believe that, all of a sudden, I was part of this great place.”
Now, Kennedy faces a daunting task: changing the trajectory of a Merrimack women’s hockey program that has finished last or second-to-last in 10 of its 11 seasons. Recruiting talent is part of the job, but Kennedy believes mindset matters even more.
“What’s going to be our style?” she said. “It starts with hard work. It sounds simple — everybody says they work hard, right? We want athletes who really understand what hard work is.
“It’s hard to be a Division 1 athlete,” Kennedy continued. “It’s a privilege. But it’s also a full-time job on top of academics, social life, family. We need to embrace that challenge first. Attack our lifting, attack every practice. That’s where it starts. People talk about identity and culture — we need to commit to it every day, not just say it or write it down.”
Kennedy’s resume is as good as it gets in women’s hockey. She was a star defenseman at the University of Minnesota, where she won a national title and was named WCHA Player of the Year. She’s a two-time Olympian for Team USA (silver in 2002, bronze in 2006), and she spent 17 years at Boston College, the last 13 as associate head coach. She’s scouted and recruited talent around the globe.
Most recently, she led the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team to a “perfect” gold at the 2026 IIHF World Championships — the first time the team never trailed in the tournament.
After nearly two decades at BC, Kennedy was ready for her own program.
“After being at BC for quite some time — the people there were great to me — I wanted my own program, my own ideas,” she said. “I’m a competitor. I love to win. I love strategy. I wanted to find a place to be a head coach.
“Personally, I’m a homebody. I love this area. I love visiting New Hampshire and Maine. My mother always said, ‘You gotta be patient.’ The time was now, and I’m so lucky to have this position at Merrimack. And it’s only twenty minutes from home.”
Kennedy’s personality, by all accounts, is as striking as her resume.
“She can take over a room, any room,” said Merrimack Director of Athletics Joe Foley. “Courtney is very quick on her feet and has this special personality. She’s also very funny. But the reason we hired her is her expectations. She wants to win in Hockey East. She wants to compete for a national championship. That’s what we’re about here.”
A year ago, 19 Merrimack players entered the transfer portal — and the same amount of new players arrived. Only five have opted for the portal this year, three before Kennedy’s hiring.
“She’s got a lot of energy and could probably have her own stand-up comedy show,” said junior defender Solveig Gisler. “But at the same time, she brings a ton of value. She’s accomplished so much. It makes you want to listen.”
Gisler, who decided to stay at Merrimack despite last year’s roster upheaval, welcomes the new voice.
“I’ve had three tough years here. We’ve beaten some really good schools, but not consistently enough, obviously,” she said. “We lost so many players last year. I stayed because I love being here, and I like the group we have. We’re sick of losing, and Courtney brings a winning mentality. The best part is she believes we can win — and I do, too.”