DUDLEY, Mass. – Nichols College head field hockey coach Jenn Townsend has announced her resignation.

Townend – who has also served as an admissions counselor and recruiter for the college since graduating in 2015 – completed her third season as head coach of the Bison in 2019. This past fall, she saw senior Erin Kelley named Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Scholar-Athlete of the Year and classmate MacKenzie McDonald named to the CCC Second Team for the second year in a row. Additionally, 10 student-athletes garnered CCC Academic All-Conference honors.

"I am forever grateful for everything the Nichols community has done for me," said Townsend. "It was an extremely hard decision for me to leave my home for close to 10 years. I wish the field hockey program tremendous success. I'm leaving very talented and passionate student-athletes. I look forward to seeing their accomplishments."

In 2018, the Bison won eight games for the second-consecutive fall and 10 student-athletes were named to the 2018 Zag Field Hockey/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III National Academic Squad – including Kelley, who was named to the Scholars of Distinction List. Additionally, four student-athletes – Brooke Misbach, Lizz McKinnon, Mackenzie Snow, and McDonald – garnered all-conference honors.

In Townsend's first season at the helm of the program, the Bison posted their highest win total since 2012 (eight) and snapped a 35-game losing skid to CCC foes with a 2-1 win over Roger Williams. The Bison also downed Gordon (2-0) and Salve Regina (4-3), the latter of which qualified for the conference playoffs. Three student-athletes were named to the CCC Academic All-Conference squad.

"I would like to thank coach Townsend for all of her efforts as our head coach over the past three seasons," said Nichols College Director of Athletics Eric Gobiel. "She has been a great asset to Nichols College and a strong role model for our student-athletes. She has built a solid foundation within our field hockey program and I am confident that our new coach will inherit a program built for success. In the coming weeks, I look forward to identifying the ideal candidate to build off of this solid foundation and lead our program in the years to come."

Townsend – who holds a Level 2 coaching accreditation with USA Field Hockey – spent two seasons as an assistant coach (2015-16) under longtime head coach Kristan Mallet before taking over the head coaching duties. A four-year member of the field hockey program under Mallet, she graduated in 2015 with a degree in Sport Management and went on to earn her Master's in Business Administration and Organizational Leadership from Nichols. She leaves with a career coaching mark of 21-32.

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. She earned CCC Second Team honors in 2012 & 2013. In 75 career games, Townsend recorded 37 points (15-7-37) and six defensive saves. 

A national search will begin immediately for a new field hockey coach. Interested candidates can submit an application HERE.