After winning the 2014 national championship, one half of the Clarkson husband-wife coaching duo, Shannon Desrosiers, is stepping down to spend more time with her family.
Her husband, Matt, will assume all head coaching duties and Matt Kelly has been promoted to first assistant coach.
“It is with both sadness and excitement that I step down from my duties coaching the women’s hockey team at Clarkson,” Desrosiers said in a news release. “It has been an amazing 11 years with the program and I could not be more proud of how far the team has come in my time here. I have been very fortunate to work with extremely talented and hardworking players, both past and present, and a staff that has made the job extremely competitive, entertaining and fun to come to work every day. Each year has brought a different challenge and has helped me grown personally and professionally.
“This year I learned from our team the true power of belief. That no matter what adversity we faced, the belief in a goal was far more powerful. It was an unbelievable experience and one that I will always remember.”
Desrosiers was first a Clarkson assistant coach from 2003 to 2008 and then co-head coach with Matt for the past six seasons.
“For now, it is time for me to focus more time and energy on our growing family,” Desrosiers added. “I will miss coaching tremendously, but I also look forward to the new challenges that lie ahead and thank Clarkson University for supporting me in doing so. I also personally want to thank president Tony Collins and Steve Yianoukos and Scott Smalling in the athletics department for allowing me the opportunity to help build the women’s hockey program at Clarkson. I love working at a prestigious institution like Clarkson University and appreciate the support given to both the program and me throughout my career here.”
A national search is underway to find a new Clarkson assistant coach.
