Katie Lachapelle is in her eighth season as head coach of the Holy Cross women’s ice hockey program in 2026-2027. The Crusaders have steadily improved throughout Lachapelle’s tenure, developing into a contender in Hockey East while earning significant recognition on the conference and national levels.
During the 2025-2026 campaign, Lachapelle was named the Hockey East Coach of the Year and the New England Coach of the Year, while finishing as the runner-up for National Coach of the Year honors. She led Holy Cross to the Hockey East semifinals for the first time in program history, with the Crusaders posting an overall record of 19-13-3 and a 10-11-3 mark in Hockey East play. Lachapelle’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-Feb. 9, 2026, 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. Lachapelle also coached Naemi Herzig, who became the Crusaders’ first-ever winter Olympic medalist and female Olympic medalist with a bronze as a member of the Swiss national team at the 2026 Olympic games.
In 2024-2025, Lachapelle’s team recorded 10 overall victories and 25 points in the conference standings. During the season, the Crusaders earned a 2-1 overtime victory over No. 10 Boston College, while tying No. 13 Northeastern 4-4.
During the 2023-2024 campaign, Lachapelle led the Crusaders to their first-ever Hockey East tournament victory, downing Boston University 4-2 in the opening round. Other notable wins included a 1-0 victory over No. 13 Northeastern and a 3-2 defeat of No. 12 Vermont, both in overtime.
In 2022-2023, Lachapelle’s squad tallied six Hockey East victories, including a pair of wins over ranked opponents (No. 14 Vermont and No. 15 Connecticut). Holy Cross also defeated Boston University in Frozen Fenway.
Off the ice, Lachapelle’s teams have consistently displayed a dedication to community service and academics. Both Carly Beniek (2023) and Lulu Rourke (2026) received the Sarah Devens Award, with Rourke also being named the Hockey East Academic Champion (2026). In addition, Holy Cross has totaled 33 American Hockey Coaches Association All-America Scholars during Lachapelle’s tenure.
Prior to her time as head coach, Lachapelle was the Crusaders’ associate head coach for two years. During the 2018-2019 campaign, she was crucial to the team’s transition into Hockey East, including the program’s first win over a top five team when Holy Cross defeated No. 5 Northeastern 5-3. In 2017-2018, Lachapelle helped the Crusaders to a 16-9-3 record, with Kara Violette being named the NEWHA Player of the Year and Tori Messina earning Defender of the Year honors.
Lachapelle came to Holy Cross after spending nine seasons as an assistant coach at Boston University from 2008-2017. She helped guide the Terriers to five Hockey East titles, six NCAA Tournament appearances and two trips to the Frozen Four, making the national title game in both 2011 and 2013. In 2013, she received the Women’s Ice Hockey Assistant Coach Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association, honoring her complete body of work as an assistant coach.
Prior to her time at Boston University, Lachapelle spent four years as an assistant coach at Ohio State from 2004-2008, with the Buckeyes going 67-65-15 during her tenure. She previously served as an assistant coach at Niagara for three years from 2001-2004, with the Purple Eagles posting a 49-49-8 overall record and advancing to the 2002 NCAA Frozen Four. Lachapelle began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Union for two seasons from 1999-2001.
In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Lachapelle served as the head coach of the United States under-18 women’s national team from 2021-2023. She led her squad to a silver medal at the 2022 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, along with a bronze medal in 2023 (the 2021 championship was canceled due to COVID-19). Lachapelle was also a coach and evaluator at the 2022 U.S. Olympic team tryout camp.
Lachapelle has held numerous additional other positions with the U.S. women’s national team throughout her career. She served as an assistant coach for the under-22 women’s national team from 2018-2020, and as a camp coach at the women’s national team’s September camp and winter training camp in 2018. She got her start at the national level as an assistant coach of the under-18 women’s national team from 2013-2017, helping those teams win three gold medals and one silver medal at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship. Additionally, Lachapelle coached at various girls’ select 14, 15 and 16 player development camps.
Lachapelle is a 1999 graduate of Providence College with a bachelor’s degree in social science. She was a four-year letterwinner for the Friars, serving as an assistant captain her junior year and a captain her season year. She was also selected to the 1997 ECAC All-Star team.
