Elizabeth Wulf Named USJ's First-Ever Women's Ice Hockey Head Coach
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Elizabeth Wulf has officially been named the first-ever head coach of the newly added University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's ice hockey program, it was announced on Thursday, December 18 by USJ Associate Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Amanda Devitt. Wulf will lead the newest Blue Jays program during its inaugural season in the 2026-27 academic year. A former Division III women's ice hockey student-athlete at powerhouse Middlebury College, Wulf has served as an assistant coach at Division I University of Connecticut (UConn) for the past four and a half seasons. She will begin her role as head coach at USJ on Monday, January 5.
"Elizabeth's passion and commitment to developing student-athletes made her the clear choice to launch our USJ women's hockey program," said Devitt. "Her proven track record of success—both as a standout student-athlete at Middlebury and as a coach at Wesleyan and UConn—speaks for itself. We are thrilled to welcome her as our head coach and look forward to the incredible future she will help build."
"I am incredibly honored to be named the first head coach of the University of Saint Joseph women's ice hockey program," said Wulf. "I want to thank Amanda Devitt, the search committee, and the USJ community for the opportunity to lead this new team, as well as President Dr. Rhona Free for her support in bringing ice hockey to USJ. I'm excited to build a competitive program that values team culture, work ethic, development, and the student-athlete experience."
AS A COACH
Wulf arrives at USJ from UConn, where she has served as an assistant coach for the Huskies' women's ice hockey program for the last four and a half seasons. The Huskies, currently ranked No. 6 in the USCHO.com Poll, boast a 13-3-2 overall record on the 2025-26 season.
During her time at UConn, Wulf has been part of back-to-back Hockey East Regular Season Championships (2023-24, 2024-25) and helped guide the Huskies to the program's first Hockey East Tournament Championship and first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023-24, when the team posted a program-best 25-8-5 record. She has played a key role in recruiting efforts, with UConn consistently ranking among the nation's top 15 recruiting classes during her tenure. Wulf has coached nine Hockey East All-Stars and has seen three players selected in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Draft.
Prior to joining the staff at UConn, Wulf spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Division III Wesleyan University. During her tenure with the Cardinals, she helped guide the team to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament in her first season and coached the program's first All-American, goaltender Allegra Grant.
In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Wulf is actively involved with USA Hockey Girls Player Development Camps, serving as both a coach and evaluator at district tryouts.
AS A STUDENT-ATHLETE
Wulf is a 2018 graduate of Middlebury College, where she was a four-year member of the Panthers women's ice hockey program.
A forward, Wulf played in every game during her collegiate career, scoring 27 goals and adding 37 assists for 64 points in 114 games. She helped lead Middlebury to three consecutive NESCAC championships (2016, 2017, 2018) and NCAA Tournament appearances in all four seasons, including a Frozen Four berth in 2016.
Wulf was a three-time member of the NESCAC All-Academic Team and was named an American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) All-American Scholar during her junior and senior seasons. She earned her bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Middlebury before completing a master's degree in liberal studies at Wesleyan in 2020.
Prior to her collegiate career, Wulf played club hockey for the Mid-Farfield CT Stars and attended The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn. She grew up playing at the International Skating Center of Connecticut (ISCC), the recently announced home rink of the Blue Jays.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT WULF
"Coach Wulf is uniquely qualified through both her personal and professional experience to serve the USJ community. Her energy and enthusiasm will give the new women's hockey program the jumpstart it needs."
– Chris MacKenzie, Head Women's Ice Hockey Coach, University of Connecticut
"Elizabeth Wulf has all the skills needed to build a women's hockey program from the ground up at the University of Saint Joseph. She has a deep understanding of the game, builds meaningful relationships with players and their families, and is an excellent recruiter. With Coach Wulf leading the way, the program will be built on a strong foundation from day one."
– Jodi McKenna, Head Women's Ice Hockey Coach, Wesleyan University
"I was delighted to hear that Elizabeth Wulf will be the first women's hockey coach at the University of Saint Joseph. Elizabeth was an excellent player who competed at the highest level. She brought energy and passion to the rink each and every day, and she was a joy to coach. I am sure she will bring that same enthusiasm to her team."
– Bill Mandigo, Head Women's Ice Hockey Coach, Middlebury College
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