Harvard hires Laura Bellamy as head coach of women’s hockey team

Laura Bellamy spent eight seasons behind the bench at Minnesota Duluth. (Brett Groehler/University Minnesota Duluth)

After eight years at Minnesota Duluth, Laura Bellamy is back where her collegiate career began.

Harvard announced Thursday that Laura Bellamy, a former goalie star for the Crimson, will be the next head coach for the women’s hockey team.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to work with an impressive group of student-athletes at a place I know and love,” Bellamy said. “It is a great honor to return to the program, institution and community that had such a transformative impact on me during my college years and is filled with people who encouraged and supported me off the ice.”

Bellamy was in net for the Crimson from 2009-13. She has the program record for lowest goals-against average in a season when she posted a 0.92 in 2012-13. She also ranks second in career shutouts (19) and third in wins (60).

When she graduated in 2013, she led all video coordination and scouting efforts for Harvard during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, working with then-head coach Katey Stone.

In 2015, Bellamy was hired as an assistant coach for Minnesota Duluth’s women’s hockey team and promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2019-20 season. With Bellamy behind the bench, the Bulldogs went to the NCAA tournament four times and made the Frozen Four twice.

“Laura [Bellamy] brings a deep commitment to coaching and mentoring student-athletes excelling on the ice, in the classroom and engaged in the community,” Harvard athletic director Erin McDermott said. “We look forward to watching her coach in the rink that meant so much to her as a player.”

Stone retired in June amidst a review of alleged mistreatment of her players. That came after investigations from The Athletic and The Boston Globe.