Holy Cross Athletics

Ed Kesell is in his second season as an assistant coach and director of operations for the Holy Cross women’s ice hockey team in 2025-2026.

During his first year with the Crusaders, Kesell helped the team to 10 overall victories and 25 points in the conference standings, which were both the highest totals since the program joined Hockey East. In addition, he helped goaltender Abby Hornung earn second team All-Hockey East honors, becoming just the second All-Hockey East selection in program history.

Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Kesell spent six seasons as a goaltending coach for Brown University. He helped goaltender Mathieu Caron pick up second team All-Ivy League and third team All-ECAC honors in 2022-2023, with Caron ranking 10th in the nation with a .921 save percentage, to go along with a 2.48 goals against average and two shutouts.

From 2004-2015, Kesell was the goaltending coach for Babson College, helping the team to four ECAC East championships. He was instrumental in the development of goaltender Jamie Murray, who was the 2016 Division III National Player of the Year, a three-time All-American, a two-time New England Player of the Year and a two-time Joe Concannon Award winner. All told, Kesell coached five ECAC East Goalies of the Year and five All-Americans during his time at Babson.

Kesell also has experience as a goaltending coach at Northeastern University (2000-2004), St. Anselm College (1999-2000) and Thayer Academy (1990-1999). In addition, he has been heavily involved in player development as a board member of Massachusetts Goaltending Development with USA Hockey

Kesell resides in Whitinsville, Mass., with his wife, Laura, and sheepadoodle, Molly.