Kayte Holtz, previously the assistant women’s hockey coach at Hamilton College for the past 10 seasons, has been named the team’s head coach.
The Continentals have a record of 122-84-22 since Holtz joined the coaching staff prior to the 2013-14 season. She has helped guide the team to eight postseason appearances and has coached six all-America selections, three NESCAC players of the year, a NESCAC rookie of the year and 15 all-conference picks.
“I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to continue to lead the women’s ice hockey program at Hamilton,” Holtz said. “As head coach, I look forward to working with talented student-athletes who are driven academically and have an intrinsic drive to work and compete. I love the Hamilton community and am honored to have the chance to continue to actively make a difference in the lives of student-athletes so they can enter the real world as respectful, inclusive and strong individuals. It is my hope that every Hamilton women’s hockey player will graduate proud of what they have achieved in the classroom, in the community and on the ice.”
Holtz helped guide Hamilton to its best season in team history in 2022-23. The Continentals smashed their previous team record for wins in a season of 16 by going 22-6-2, finished second in the conference standings, played in the NESCAC championship final for the first time, made their first NCAA championship appearance, and advanced to the national semifinals after they defeated Nazareth College and Adrian College. Hamilton was ranked fourth in the final USCHO.com Division III Top 15 poll of the season. The Continentals had two players on the all-America team, the conference player of the year and three all-NESCAC team selections.
“As the search process unfolded, it became evident that Kayte was best positioned to assume the leadership role of our women’s hockey program,” Director of Athletics Jon Hind ’80 said. “Her many varied experiences as both an accomplished player and coach in the NESCAC have afforded her great understanding of how to be successful in our community.”
Hamilton finished in the top five in Division III in penalty kill and scoring defense in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Holtz and the Continentals have made it to the conference semifinals or further every year since 2019.
A 2013 graduate of Bowdoin College, Holtz earned first team all-America honors as a senior after she helped the Polar Bears to the NESCAC title and the quarterfinals of the NCAA championship. Holtz was first team all-NESCAC three times and was named a team captain her senior year. She finished her Bowdoin career with 68 goals and 55 assists for 123 points in 106 games. Holtz held the team record for career short-handed goals with six when she graduated, and she played in every single game.
Holtz has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology. She is from New Berlin, Wis.
(Photo provided by Hamilton College Women’s Hockey)
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