Phillips Andover will have a new look this season.
Former Boston College assistant coach Kate Leary will usher the Big Blue into a new era after longtime coach Martha Fenton announced her departure in the spring. Fenton spent more than three decades on the bench at Andover.
Leary, a former prep hockey star, jumped at the opportunity to join the prep coaching ranks.
"It's certainly been on my radar to potentially go into this world, be a part of the community and get to coach," Leary (Seabrook, N.H.) said. "Where my family is at right now, this was the right opportunity at the right time. So, super fortunate that it worked out, and I'm excited to get going with the team this winter."
Leary knows the prep hockey universe as well as anyone, from split-season club hockey to competing for NEPSAC championships.
She was a three-sport athlete in hockey, field hockey and lacrosse at Governor's Academy, where she won four consecutive NEPSAC hockey titles and earned All-ISL honors. Leary also won three USA Hockey national championships with Assabet Valley in addition to playing with the East Coast Wizards and reaching USA Hockey's national development camps.
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"There are certainly some new pieces to learn ... but not having to worry too much about the hockey side because I am familiar with it has made things a little bit smoother in the transition," Leary said.
Leary played four seasons at Boston College, reaching three Frozen Fours and four national tournaments. After 85 points in 149 collegiate games, Leary played five professional seasons between the CWHL's Boston Blades, HC Lugano in Switzerland and the NWHL's Metropolitan Riveters before embarking on her coaching career, which included stops at Saint Anselm and Merrimack College before spending the last three seasons at BC.
Her background as a player and coach makes her well-equipped to help her players navigate the college recruiting process.
She plans to hold a presentation for her players and their parents to introduce them to the recruiting process, what to expect and how to best prepare.
"It's definitely a huge piece of my background, my interests and my ability to hopefully be impactful there," Leary said.
That experience in the collegiate coaching ranks also has its tangible benefits, from X's and O's to video work to analysis.
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"Being able to be very comfortable with breaking down our own game film and repackaging that in a digestible manner for our student-athletes is an important piece," Leary said. "Being able to support our students through the recruiting process, those pieces are certainly things that I'm looking forward to being a part of as we approach the winter."
Behind the bench isn't the only new-look area for Andover this winter.
The Big Blue graduated seven seniors, including four Division 1 commits and two Division 3 commits. Six of those seniors were forwards, too.
Fortunately for Leary and Andover, an elite foundation remains on defense and in goal with six college commits.
"A huge selling point for me is that the program, talent-wise, is in a really good spot, so it's being able to build off that and help make sure the culture is in a good spot as well, that the team is being supportive of one another in a very competitive atmosphere," Leary said. "It's just a matter of how we can be best prepared once we get to March."
Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.; Princeton) headlines the blue line as one of the best players in prep in addition to high-end options like Kimee Duplessis (Framingham, Mass.; Delaware) and Sienna Glass (Andover, Mass.; Providence). There's also Sienna DeAngelis (Amherst College) and Maya Kou (Brown) on the blue line.
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Junior Vanessa Hall (Saugus, Mass.) and sophomore Jacqueline Louie offer experience as well.
Meanwhile, Marie Lee (Southboro, Mass.; Princeton) could be one of the top netminders in the NEPSAC.
"I think teams will find it difficult to score against us," Leary said. "We're pretty good on the back end, but making sure we can balance that out with some offensive production to be able to be successful."
Up front, returning junior Al Hartmann (Castine, Maine) and sophomores Avery Hutchins (North Andover, Mass.), Katherine Cooke (Wrentham, Mass.) and Liz Averill (Wayland, Mass.) have each shown potential.
Count Cooke among the top breakout candidates after she reached National 15 Camp over the summer.
The Big Blue are ready to see how it shakes out once they hit the ice.
"We're not even on the ice yet, but I think there are definitely a few of the incoming freshmen that I'm really eager to get to see," Leary said.Â
For Leary, it all comes down to having an aggressive mindset on the ice. She likes her teams to push the pace and get in other teams' faces.
"I think the game's getting more physical, so being able to implement that, even on the forecheck and being all over other teams," Leary said.
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Expectations are always high at Andover.
The Big Blue went 21-3-1 last season, reaching the Elite 8 for the seventh straight season. They've reached the finals in three of the last five seasons, too, in addition to five consecutive trips to the Patsy K. Odden Invitational final.
While the wins, losses and tournament success are the easiest and most tangible ways to measure success in a season, it all boils back to the culture piece for Leary.
"Doing things the right way, doing things for the good of the team and not being so hung up on personal statistics or personal accolades," Leary said. "The Andover motto is 'Non Sibi' — 'Not for Self.'"
