Harvard Athletics announced today that Laura Bellamy will be the next Landry Family Head Coach for Harvard Women's Ice Hockey.
"We are excited to welcome Coach Bellamy back to lead Harvard Women's Ice Hockey," said Erin McDermott, the John D. Nichols '53 Family Director of Athletics. "Laura brings a deep commitment to coaching and mentoring student-athletes excelling on the ice, in the classroom, and engaged in the community. We look forward to watching her coach in the rink that meant so much to her as a player."
Bellamy brings extensive hockey knowledge and coaching talent to Cambridge, where she will take on a head coaching role for the first time.
"This is a fantastic opportunity to work with an impressive group of student-athletes at a place I know and love," said Bellamy. "It is a great honor to return to the program, institution, and community that had such a transformative impact on me during my college years and is filled with people who encouraged and supported me on the ice and off. My aim is to advance this program by providing our student-athletes with a world-class experience and striving for national prominence in NCAA Women's Ice Hockey."
Bellamy returns to Harvard after eight seasons on staff at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). After arriving in The North Star State as an assistant coach in 2015, Bellamy was elevated to the associate head coach role prior to the 2019 season. During her eight years in Duluth, Bellamy helped transform the Bulldogs into a national power, securing four NCAA tournament berths and two Frozen Four appearances, and a finish as the national runner-up in 2022. UMD was consistently ranked inside the national top 15 under and earned its highest ranking in program history after earning a No. 4 ranking this past season.
A noted developer of talent, Bellamy coached 10 Olympians, two Patty Kazmaier Top-3 Finalists, seven All-Americans, two Hockey Humanitarian Award Finalists, 26 All-WCHA Selections, three WCHA Student-Athletes of the Year, one WCHA Player of the Year, two WCHA Defenders of the Year and two WCHA Goaltenders of the Year during her time in Duluth.
Her efforts did not go unnoticed as in 2022 she was named the American Hockey Coaches Association (ACHA) National Assistant Coach of the Year. Now, Bellamy will return to coach the Crimson for a second time, hoping to bring similar success back to Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
After her graduation from Harvard in 2013, Bellamy chose to stay in Cambridge and begin her coaching career with the Crimson. The Duluth native led all video coordination, scouting and training efforts for Harvard, helping lead the team to a run of success during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. In just three years in her role, Harvard earned two NCAA tournament bids and finished as the national runner-up in 2015 after making the Frozen Four.
A former standout herself, Bellamy remains one of Harvard's best goaltenders in its 45-year history. She holds the program record for lowest goals against average in a season (0.92 in 2012-13) and is second in career shutouts (19) and third in wins (60). Additionally, the two-time captain received First-Team All-Ivy recognition in 2012-13.
Bellamy's coaching expertise has also been on display in the international hockey scene as shown in her participation in Team USA Hockey. The program has invited Bellamy to coach at the USA Hockey Player Development Camp annually since 2014. She also participated as a coach at the USA Hockey Women's National Team Goaltending Camp from 2017-19.
An ambassador and advocate for women's ice hockey, Bellamy has served on several committees, including the ACHA Women's Hockey Bracket Expansion Committee that met in 2021, and successfully expanded the NCAA tournament field from eight to 11 teams.
Bellamy is excited and thankful to be coming back to coach her alma mater.
"I would like to thank Erin McDermott, Tim Troville, and the rest of the search committee for the tremendous opportunity to lead Harvard Women's Ice Hockey," said Bellamy.
What They're Saying About Coach Bellamy…
Maddie Rooney - Former Player at Minnesota-Duluth and U.S.A. Hockey National Team Member
"Harvard is getting a great one with Coach Bellamy. Her dedication and knowledge of the game is unmatched and her ultimate drive to win day in and day out is felt throughout the whole team. She made my time at [Minnesota Duluth] so special and I'm so excited for her as she takes this next step."
Josephine Pucci – Former Teammate at Harvard and U.S.A. Hockey National Team Member
"I have been able to witness Coach Bellamy in various roles over the years, whether that be as young first-year backup goaltender, a starter and senior captain, a young and new assistant coach or an experienced associate head coach. No matter her role, she always rose to the occasion and exceeded expectations. She is simply a natural leader. I have never met anyone more dedicated to understanding each of her players and her commitment to bringing out the best in them both on and off the ice is unmatched. I will forever be grateful for my time as a student-athlete at Harvard and is due in large part to Laura."
Ashton Bell – Former Player at Minnesota-Duluth and Canadian National Team Member
"Coach Bellamy has had a tremendous impact on my career and has been instrumental in my development as a player and as a person. She shares the same ambitions that her players have and she goes above and beyond to help them achieve their goals. Her passion and dedication to women's hockey is admirable and I would not be where I am without her mentorship and support!"
"While she will be greatly missed at Duluth, we look forward to her next chapter and all her future success as a head coach. She has earned this opportunity and there is no one more deserving!"
-- Source: Harvard Athletics
