BUFFALO, NY– The Buffalo Beauts of the National Women’s Hockey League is proud to announce that Rhea Coad has been named the club’s new head coach.
“I believe in creating an open environment which will allow our players to not only have fun but feel loved by every member of the organization,” said Coad. “I am extremely honored to be leading such an amazing group of young women and I am beyond excited to get back on the ice with everyone in preparation for the NWHL’s seventh season. I look forward to continuing to grow our family culture and building strong relationships with each member of our team.”
Coad, who was the associate coach last season after joining the team as an assistant in 2018, succeeds Pete Perram, who is relocating with his family to Western Canada.
“Rhea is a great tactician who brings ingenuity to the game,” said Buffalo GM Nate Oliver. “When you combine that with her strong belief in our players and organization, we strongly believe Rhea is going to lead a team that will contend again for the Isobel Cup and make our fans and community very proud.”
Coad and Oliver have already begun discussions about the Beauts’ lineup for 2021-22, recruiting top players, analyzing potential draft picks, hosting free agent camps, and retaining key members from the current roster. After hearing of Coad’s promotion to head coach, two of the team’s most valuable players have already made it known they hope to return.
“I have the utmost confidence in Rhea and have a lot of respect for her knowledge and passion for the game,” said captain Taylor Accursi, who was tied for fourth in goals in the NWHL in 2019-20 with 16. “To me, she exemplifies what our franchise is all about. Rhea and I have a great working relationship on and off the ice. I am excited to see what she can do this upcoming season, and I expect to be returning with her at the reins.”
Added goaltender Carly Jackson, the third overall pick in the 2020 NWHL Draft who was Buffalo’s brightest star in Lake Placid in her rookie season: “Rhea had a major impact on my first season as a Beaut. She has a brilliant hockey mind and a heart of gold that makes our team so enjoyable to be around. With Rhea accepting the head coaching position, I hope to return to Buffalo and be a key part of the team and culture we are building.”
While serving as a coach for the Beauts the previous two seasons, Coad also worked on the coaching staff at Nazareth College. Now that she has been named head coach of Buffalo’s NWHL team, Coad has decided to focus all of her efforts on the Beauts.
As head coach, Coad will continue the “Beauts Believe” program that she created. At each Beauts home game, Coad and the team host a youth hockey player who has suffered the loss of a parent. Coad meets with the player, shares her story of losing her mother to cancer, and offers her phone number if the player ever wants to talk. Since the program started, a small and generous support network has formed. “It’s a wonderful program that Rhea has started and she puts everything she has into it,” said Oliver.
Coad was a three-sport standout at SUNY Canton, competing in hockey, softball, and golf and graduating with a degree in Health and Fitness Promotion. She was a four-year member of the women’s hockey program at Canton, was team captain for the 2016-17 season, and was the recipient of the SUNY Canton Pillars of Character Award in 2017. She also completed a coaching internship at St. Lawrence University and has coached at USA Hockey development camps in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Rhea Coad Extends Her Thanks to…
- “The entire organization for giving me the opportunity to be the next head coach of the Buffalo Beauts, especially Nate Oliver and Pete Perram for all of the support that they have shown me over our past two seasons together.”
- “Everyone at Nazareth College, especially my mentor and colleague Chris Baudo, who has supported me throughout my time in the NWHL and gave me the courage to take this next step in my coaching career.”
- “All of our fans in the Buffalo area for their support of me and our team the past two seasons. We are counting down the days until we are back on the ice playing in front of all of you in Fort Beaut.”
