DUDLEY, Mass. – Nichols College Director of Athletics Chris Colvin has announced the promotion of current field hockey assistant coach Jenn Townsend to head coach. She replaces Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Women Administrator (SWA) Kristan Mallet, who has stepped down to become the department's head softball coach.

Townsend recently completed her second season as an assistant coach under Mallet. A four-year member of the field hockey program, she graduated in 2015 with a degree in sport management. Townsend was a three-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III National Academic Team selection who was also named to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Academic All-Conference Team on three occasions.

"I am beyond excited and completely humbled for the opportunity to be able to coach at my alma mater," explained Townsend, who takes over the coaching reigns effective immediately and will oversee the team during their non-traditional spring season. "I can't wait to work with the current roster and talented group of players joining us next season. I believe that the new students will mesh extremely well with the team and the campus as a whole. I would like to thank Kristan Mallet, my former field hockey coach, who certainly had a hand in allowing me to cultivate my passion of field hockey, as well as Chris Colvin, who saw those skills and believed I could take over this program and continue to strive for greatness."

Townsend earned CCC Second Team honors in 2012 & 2013. In 75 career games, Townsend – who currently works as an Admissions Counselor at Nichols – recorded 37 points (15-7-37) and six defensive saves. 

"I am thrilled to announce that Jenn Townsend will be taking over as the leader of the Nichols field hockey program," said Colvin. "Knowing that we had someone of Jenn's caliber on our staff will make this transition a smooth one. She is a hard-working, skilled individual that will be a tenacious recruiter."
Colvin added, "I also want to thank Kristan Mallet for her 11 years at the helm of this program as she transitions to leading our softball program. I look forward to her continued leadership in the sport of softball and as Assistant AD."

Mallet departs as the program's all-time winningest coach with 97 wins. Over the course of 11 seasons, she guided the Bison to the CCC Tournament eight times – including the 2009 title and the program's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Nichols went on to host MIT in the first-ever NCAA Championship event hosted at the College. From 2013-16, a total of 27 student-athletes were recognized on the NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad. One of those student-athletes, Emily Widdison, was later named to the 2012-13 Capital One Academic All-America Division III Third Team.

"Today is a bittersweet day for me," said Mallet. "I have spent many years with the field hockey program and have had the opportunity to coach some incredible student-athletes. Many a record were broken. I'd say we had more success than not in many, many different ways. That said, I am beyond proud that Jenn Townsend will be taking over as the head coach. Jenn was a four-year starter who really bought into my expectations as a very competitive player. She joined my staff as an assistant coach after she graduated and the current student-athletes have really appreciated her role as a coach. I am more than confident that the talented class of field hockey players joining the program this fall will find this coaching change to be an easy transition. I wish Jenn, and the team, the very best."