WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross women's hockey head coach Katie Lachapelle has been named the head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team for the 2020-21 season, as announced by USA Hockey Wednesday.

"I'm extremely honored and grateful to serve as the head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team," Lachapelle said. "I'm excited for the challenge ahead and look forward to working with the best young players in the country. Thank you to USA Hockey for this opportunity."

For the last two seasons, Lachapelle has served as an assistant coach on the U.S. U-22 staff. She was previously an assistant on the U-18 staff from 2013-2017 and won three gold and one silver medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Women's World Championships. Lachapelle has also served as a camp coach at numerous national team and player development camps.

Lachapelle will lead the squad at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship anticipated to take place this coming January. Joining her as assistant coaches will be Melanie Ruzzi, assistant women's ice hockey coach at Princeton University; Chelsea Walkland, assistant women's ice hockey coach at Colgate University; and Brianna Decker, a member of the gold medal-winning 2018 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team. In addition, Alli Altmann returns to the staff as goaltending coach.

The 2019-20 season was Lachapelle's first as Holy Cross' head coach, after spending the previous two years as the associate head coach. In her first year at the helm, the Crusaders' second in Hockey East, she helped the team increase its win total by four and jump up a spot in the conference standings, one away from qualifying for the postseason. Highlights from the year include the team's first ever Hockey East sweep by defeating Merrimack in the season series, 3-0, and taking down Vermont twice at home for the first home Hockey East sweep.