Kelsey Koelzer

Kelsey Koelzer is an American ice hockey defender with the PWHPA. She was drafted 1st overall by the Metropolitan Riveters in the 2016 NWHL Draft, the first black player to be the first overall pick in a professional North American hockey league draft. She also serves as the head coach for Arcadia University, the first black head coach in NCAA hockey history.[1]

Kelsey Koelzer
Born (1996-06-16) June 16, 1996
Horsham, Pennsylvania, United States
Height 171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Position Defender
Shoots Right
PWHPA team Tri-State
Played for Metropolitan Riveters
Princeton University
Playing career 2017–present

Playing career

Across 128 games with Princeton, Koelzer scored 100 points, being named a Patty Kazmaier Award finalist in 2016 and 2017.[2] She was named ECAC Hockey Best Defender of the Year in 2016.[3] She was the first-eve Princeton’s women’s hockey first team All-American.[4][5]

The New York Riveters selected her 1st overall in the 2016 NWHL Draft, the first black player to be the first overall pick in a professional North American hockey league draft.[6][7]

She signed her first professional contract at the end of the 2016-17 NWHL regular season, and would make her first NWHL appearance in the Riveters' loss to the Buffalo Beauts in the semi-finals. She would go on to play two full seasons with the club, winning the Isobel Cup in 2018. She was named to Team Leveille for the 2018 NWHL All-Star Game, where she would be awarded All-Star Game MVP.

In May 2019, she joined the PWHPA.[8][9] She would appear for Team Decker in the Dream Gap Tour exhibition in Philadelphia.[10]

Executive career

In September 2019, she was hired by Arcadia University as head coach for the new women's hockey programme.[11] She is the first black head coach in NCAA hockey history.

She is also a member of the NHL and NHLPA Female Hockey Advisory Committee.[12] Along with Melissa Parnagian, she campaigned for the introduction of the Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act.[13]

Personal life

Koelzer has a degree in psychology.[14]

Career Statistics
Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2016-17Metropolitan RivetersNWHL ----- 10000
2017-18Metropolitan RivetersNWHL 15591410 20112
2018-19Metropolitan RivetersNWHL 1400012 10000
2019-20Tri-StatePWHPA ----- -----
NWHL totals 29591422 40112


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References
  1. "Color of Hockey: Koelzer set to be first black coach in NCAA". NHL.com. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  2. Ayala, Erica (2017-09-14). "Women's Hockey Top 25 Under 25 | Number 16 - Kelsey Koelzer". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  3. "Kelsey Koelzer". teamusa.usahockey.com. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  4. https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/roster/kelsey-koelzer/10470
  5. https://www.theintell.com/6b1577c4-e061-11e6-8725-777800294a53.html
  6. Berkman, Seth (2016-11-25). "Two Black Women Embrace Their Chance to Be Hockey Role Models". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  7. "Four American Women of Color Navigating Hockey's Whiteness". The Victory Press. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  8. Mouzzon, Ashley (2020-02-04). "PWHPA Spotlight: Kelsey Koelzer set to make NCAA coaching debut". Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  9. Berkman, Seth (2019-03-14). "One Canceled Flight Upends the N.W.H.L. Playoffs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  10. Jay, Michelle (2019-12-18). "PWHPA announces Philadelphia Dream Gap Tour stop". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  11. Fitzpatrick, Frank. "Arcadia University introduces men's and women's hockey -- and a female African-American coach". https://www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 2020-05-26. External link in |website= (help)
  12. "NHL, NHLPA establish Female Hockey Advisory Committee". ESPN.com. 2019-03-08. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  13. "Melissa Parnagian '17 and Kelsey Koelzer '17 Work to Honor Hockey Trailblazer Willie O'Ree". Princeton Alumni Weekly. 2020-02-05. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  14. "Metropolitan Riveters: Q & A with Defender Kelsey Koelzer". The Hockey Writers. 2017-12-24. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
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