WORCESTER, Mass. — Holy Cross and women's ice hockey head coach Katie Lachapelle — the 2026 Hockey East Coach of the Year — have agreed to a contract extension, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Kit Hughes announced on Friday, March 27. 

The new contract will keep Lachapelle as head coach of the Crusaders through the 2030-31 season. 

"Katie Lachapelle continues to transform women's hockey at Holy Cross, and we are thrilled to secure her leadership for years to come," Hughes said. "She has built a culture of excellence with high-caliber student-athletes and staff who do more than just win — they represent the very best of this College. The energy and momentum around this program is undeniable, and it is clear the best days for Crusader Hockey are right in front of us."

Lachapelle led Holy Cross to the Hockey East semifinals for the first time in program history this year, with the Crusaders posting an overall record of 19-13-3 and a 10-11-3 mark in Hockey East play. 

This year's squad broke school records for the most Hockey East victories (10) and most Hockey East points (37) in a single season, while its 19 overall wins are tied for the fifth-most in program history. 

Lachapelle's team spent four weeks ranked in the USCHO national poll from Jan. 19 to Feb. 9, reaching a high of No. 13 in the Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 rankings. This marked the first time any Crusader women's program had ever been nationally ranked at the Division I level. In addition, Holy Cross finished the year eighth in the country in scoring defense, with a team goals against average of 1.84.

"I am incredibly grateful to Kit Hughes for his continued trust in me and his unwavering support of our program," Lachapelle said. "I am extremely lucky to be surrounded by an amazing group of student-athletes, coaches, and staff that drive our culture. I'm honored to keep building on the foundation we've laid as we pursue continued growth and excellence. I am extremely excited to lead Holy Cross Women's Hockey for years to come."

In addition to earning Hockey East Coach of the Year honors, Lachapelle was also selected as the runner-up for the 2026 CCM / AHCA University Division Women's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year Award, presented by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

In addition to Holy Cross' success on the ice this season, Lachapelle's programs have seen tremendous success in the classroom; the team posted a 3.58 GPA during the fall semester, with every student-athlete recording above a 3.0. 

With more than 25 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and national team level, Lachapelle has worked directly with numerous All-League selections, All-Americans, Patty Kazmaier Award finalists, national team members and Olympians — including Holy Cross freshman Naemi Herzig, who won a bronze medal with Switzerland during the 2026 Winter Olympics and became the first Crusader to earn an Olympic medal in nearly a century. 

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