Emily McNamara joined Hamilton College as the head women's hockey coach in September 2012 and has a 113-89-21 record through the 2021-22 season. The 2017 NESCAC Coach of the Year reached her milestone 100th coaching victory on Feb. 21, 2020, with a 4-1 win against Connecticut College.
McNamara directed the Continentals to a team-record 16 wins as they tied for second in the NESCAC standings with a 9-5-2 record in 2018-19. Hamilton was the third seed for the conference championship and advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2007. One player was voted the 2019 NESCAC Rookie of the Year and another was an all-conference team selection. Off the ice, women's hockey student-athletes have earned 40 NESCAC winter all-academic team honors in McNamara's first eight seasons as head coach.
In 2017-18 McNamara coached an all-American, the NESCAC Player of the Year and three all-conference honorees. The Continentals went 13-8-4 overall, tied for third place in the NESCAC standings with a 9-4-3 record and hosted a conference championship quarterfinal. The Hamilton women led Division III in penalty kill at better than 96 percent and they were fifth in scoring defense.
The Continentals won 14 games and finished fifth in Division III in scoring defense and third in penalty kill under McNamara in 2016-17. The Hamilton women ended up in third place in the NESCAC standings with a 9-5-2 conference record. The Continentals were the third seed for the 2017 NESCAC championship -- the best seeding for the event in team history. McNamara coached the conference's player of the year as well as a pair of all-NESCAC honorees. Goaltender Sam Walther '18 was selected for the American Hockey Coaches Association's Division III All-America Team's East Region first team.
In 2015-16 three players made the all-conference team and in 2014-15 one athlete made the all-NESCAC team. The Continentals finished 13-11-1 overall under McNamara in 2012-13. She guided the team to a NESCAC championship quarterfinal appearance and they ranked second in the conference on the power play. Katie Zimmerman '13 was selected to the NESCAC all-conference and D3hockey.com all-region teams.
McNamara was an assistant coach at Middlebury from 2007 to 2011. She helped guide the team to an overall record of 78-20-11, including 50-7-7 in the NESCAC. The Panthers captured NESCAC titles in 2009 and 2011 and made three NCAA Division III championship appearances. The team advanced to the national semifinals in 2009 and 2011 with McNamara's assistance.
McNamara also enjoyed an outstanding playing career for the Panthers from 2003 to 2007. She played in all 116 games on defense, posted 66 points on 22 goals and 44 assists and helped lead the team to an overall record of 100-13-3. McNamara made the NESCAC all-conference first team in 2005 and the second team in 2006.
Middlebury won three straight national titles from 2004 to 2006 and McNamara was placed on the 2005 NCAA all-tournament team. She helped the Panthers to NESCAC crowns in 2005 and 2006.
As a senior, McNamara served as a team captain and earned a spot on the 2006-07 NESCAC Winter All-Academic Team. She was the 2007 winner of the Captain John Owen Memorial Award for dedication and support of the Middlebury women's hockey team. She graduated with a degree in English.
McNamara hails from North Hampton, N.H., and was a three-sport varsity athlete at Phillips Exeter Academy.
