BUFFALO, N.Y.—Buffalo State has named Jennifer Wilson the fourth head coach in the history of its women’s hockey program.
Wilson is inheriting a team that has won a program-best 35 games in the past two seasons, going 35-16-2, and has made four-consecutive postseason appearances, including earning its first-ever postseason victory last season.
Wilson is no stranger to postseason play, coming from an impressive two seasons as head coach of ACHA Division I Robert Morris University in Chicago taking the Eagles to the CCWHA conference semi-finals, for the first time in four years. In addition to her position at RMU, she was the associate head coach of one of the top teams in Illinois High School Hockey at Loyola Academy capturing the 2016 Illinois State Championship title and was runner-up in 2017. During her tenure at Loyola, Wilson was also responsible for successfully placing athletes in both DIII and DI NCAA collegiate programs.
Prior to her time in Chicago, Wilson served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III St. Michael’s in Vermont for two seasons, helping the Knights to their first postseason appearance in the program’s 12-year history. In 2012, after coaching several players to ECAC-East Select Honors, she was selected as an intern coach for the U15 National Development Camp in St. Cloud, Minn.
Wilson remains active with USA Hockey as a certified level 4 coach and has spent several years as a lead evaluator for selected birth years within the Central District Development Camps. Previously working as a lead instructor for U14 New England Development Camps, a U17 National Selection Committee member for the Yankee Conference Festival and numerous others, Wilson was selected as a top coach in Illinois and selected to head the Team Illinois Select team at the yearly America’s Showcase to showcase the top non-committed talent in 2016 and 2017.
Wilson began her collegiate playing career at DIII Manhattanville College, where he was part of the 2006 ECAC-East Championship team that went 23-4-1 before finishing her career at RMU. As an alternate captain at RMU, Wilson played in 68 games scoring a total of 22 goals and 27 assists for 49 points over her two-year career as a top forward while helping the Eagles advance to the ACHA National Championships and finish third in 2013. Ranked as one of the top-nine forward in Wisconsin, Wilson’s high school career garnered several accolades, including being selected to Team Wisconsin for the Chicago Showcase, WAHA and Central District select honors, 2003 State Championship MVP as well as “Most Accurate Shooter” and “Hardest Shot” Awards.
Wilson earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing and television writing from Columbia College in Chicago and later graduated Cum Ladue with a master’s in sports administration from Robert Morris University.
Buffalo State will open the 2017-18 season, its first season in the newly-formed Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) with fellow SUNY institutions Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Oswego and Cortland, with a pair of non-conference games at Morrisville State on Oct. 27 and 28.
