Head coach returns to her alma mater after four years leading Skyhawks

EASTON, Massachusetts (April 23, 2019) – Stonehill College has accepted the resignation of volleyball head coach Kathleen Colpoys to accept the head coaching position at College of the Holy Cross, located in Worcester, Massachusetts, an NCAA Division I volleyball member of the Patriot League, where she is a 2012 graduate. The announcement was made today by Dean O'Keefe, '94, Director of Athletics at the College.

"We wish Coach Colpoys all the best as she begins a new chapter of her coaching career at her alma mater," said O'Keefe. "Kathleen has done tremendous work in developing and mentoring our volleyball student-athletes during her time at Stonehill, and her leadership has been instrumental in the success of our program and its student-athletes both on and off the court.

"We sincerely thank Kathleen for her many contributions to Stonehill," O'Keefe added. "I am certain she will have continued success in her new role as the head coach of Holy Cross."

Colpoys recently completed her fourth season at the helm of the Stonehill volleyball program, having hit .500 overall with an 11-11 record and in Conference play with a 7-7 mark. She led the Skyhawks to a 46-54 (.475) record over her four seasons, including a 27-29 (.488) Northeast-10 Conference record. Colpoys led the Skyhawks in 2017 to their first playoff appearance since 2013 finishing fifth in the Conference and they made it all the way to the semifinals where the Skyhawks fought a close battle against the top-seeded University of New Haven, 3-2.

Colpoys has mentored five student-athletes to NE10 All-Conference teams including Katherine DeLanty '18, who was also named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-East Region team.

Over her four years, Colpoys saw volleyball student-athletes reach high marks in the classroom, as two were named to NE10 Academic All-Conference teams. In Colpoys' four years, the team saw two AVCA Team Academic Awards, the highest Stonehill team GPA in spring 2018, and the Fred C. Petti Individual Academic award winner twice. This season Rachel Dunlavy earned the program's second Google Cloud® Academic All-District First Team honors with her 3.97 cumulative grade point average, while majoring in economics and minoring in business. Sophomore Sophia Poveda was recently named as an Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar second team selection for her efforts on the court, in the classroom, and in the community.

"I would like to sincerely thank (Vice President for Student Affairs) Pauline Dobrowski, Dean O'Keefe, (Senior Associate Director of Athletes) Cindy MacDonald, the rest of the Stonehill Athletic Department Staff and the incredible volleyball student-athletes that I have had the privilege of working with over the past four years," said Colpoys. "My time at Stonehill has been incredibly special both professionally and personally. The Stonehill volleyball program is comprised of fantastic student-athletes, alumnae, assistant coaches, relatives, and supporters and I am truly grateful to have been a part of it. I will genuinely miss everyone in the Stonehill Community and wish future success to all."

Colpoys received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Holy Cross in economics in 2012, where she was a four-year starter for the Crusaders and is the first and only student-athlete in program history to record both surpass 700 kills and 200 blocks.

A search for Colpoys' replacement will commence immediately.

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