ATHLETICS - Key Persons


Aimee Krenicki

Job Titles:
  • Athletic Trainer

Andrew Storton

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Men 's Soccer Coach

Ashley Hanson


Bob Bellemore

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Women 's Ice Hockey Coach ( Goalies )

Cathy Stock


Chris O'Brien

Job Titles:
  • Head
  • Head Men's and Women 's Tennis Coach
Prior to his arrival at Connecticut College, O'Brien spent six years as the head men's and women's tennis coach at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. He helped lead the women's program to back-to-back appearances in the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Tournaments as well as the men's team to the second round of NCAAs in 2009. In addition, O'Brien served as the Director of Student Advocacy at Roger Williams. In this position, he directed the peer mentoring program for incoming freshman. He also managed the Student Advocacy Office, taught a first-year seminar and academic probation class for freshmen, and directed a leadership program for underrepresented students. For his efforts, O'Brien was named the Unsung Hero for Enrollment Management. Before joining the staff at Roger Williams, O'Brien spent six years as the head men's tennis coach at the University of Rochester and guided the teams to NCAA Tournament appearances from 2001-03. He also served as the Yellow Jacket men's squash coach for three years and the mentor for the women's squash club program from 2002-03. O'Brien earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Rochester in 1993 as well as a master's degree in physical therapy from Nazareth College.

Chrissy Chappell

Job Titles:
  • Head Field Hockey Coach

Cian Noone

Job Titles:
  • Head Men 's Rowing Coach

Connor Grippe

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Men 's Lacrosse Coach
Connor Grippe is entering his first season as assistant coach of the Connecticut College men's lacrosse program in 2023-24. Grippe joined the Camels after spending the last two years as a graduate assistant coach at St. Leo University in Tampa, Fla. He served as offensive coordinator for the Lions in addition to assisting in recruiting, travel planning, scouting and game planning. Grippe oversaw an offensive explosion while at St. Leo, as the Lions produced the highest and second-highest scoring seasons in school history during his tenure. The program also ranked among the top 10 in offense at the Division II level in each season. The increased offensive production led to more wins on the field, as St. Leo went from three victories in 2021 to six in 2022 and nine in 2023. Along the way, Grippe helped develop multiple all-conference selections and a pair of Inside Lacrosse All-Americans. A native of Setauket, N.Y., Grippe was a standout lacrosse player at Ward Melville High School before extending his career at Division I Stony Brook University. He was a five-year letter winner and two-year captain for the Seawolves, and in 59 career games he recorded 40 goals and 18 assists for 58 points. Grippe graduated with a degree in finance and marketing from Stony Brook in 2020, and went on to earn his MBA at St. Leo in 2023.

Daphne Michie

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Women 's Rowing Coach

David Longolucco

Job Titles:
  • Sports Information Director ( M / W Basketball, VB, FH, MLAX, S & D, M / W Tennis, M / W Rowing, M / W XC )

David Woodford

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Men 's Ice Hockey Coach

Dustin Waleff

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Director of Athletic Communications ( M / W Soccer, M / W Hockey, WLAX, M / W Track, M / W Squash, M / W Water Polo, Sailing )

Emily Vafek

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Team Physician

Emma Rotner

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Swimming Coach

Eva Kovach

Job Titles:
  • Associate Director
  • Head Women 's Rowing Coach

Hannah Ellett

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Water Polo Coach

Huan Nguyen

Job Titles:
  • Compliance Officer
  • Assistant Men's and Women 's Tennis Coach
Huan Nguyen is entering his fourth year as the assistant men's and women's tennis coach at Connecticut College in 2019-20. He is responsible for assisting head coach Chris O'Brien with all aspects of the two programs. Nguyen played for Coach O'Brien for three years after transferring from the George Washington University. He was named to the NESCAC Spring All-Sportsmanship Team and was honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete while serving as a team captain during his senior year. Off the court, Nguyen was a team representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). A 2013 graduate of Connecticut College, Nguyen is currently a compliance officer on Wall Street. He also earned a Juris Doctor in just two years from Brooklyn Law School in 2016 as a member of its inaugural accelerated program.

Jack Wood

Job Titles:
  • Assistant XC / Track & Field Coach

Jackie Smith

Job Titles:
  • Head Women 's Basketball Coach / NCAA Representative for Diversity & Inclusion

Jakob Klaeson

Job Titles:
  • Connecticut College As the Head
  • Head Men's and Women 's Tennis Coach
Jakob Klaeson joined Connecticut College as the head men's and women's tennis coach in September 2021. Klaeson most recently served as the head coach of the women's tennis program at Providence College. Serving as the pilot since 2016, he recruited players both domestically and internationally, built a positive team culture with his student-athletes along with the athletic department, alumni base, parents, colleagues, and the community. The Friars were also strong in the classroom, which included most recently posting a 3.59 team GPA during the 2020-21 academic year. Before his arrival at Providence, Klaeson served as an assistant coach at Brown University, spent two years as the co-founder and head coach at the South Coast Tennis Academy, and he was also the head coach and the head tennis pro at Platform Tennis at Sakonnet Golf Club. Before his time at the South Coast Tennis Academy and Platform Tennis at Sakonnet Golf Club, Klaeson was the Director of Junior Development at Kingsbury Club in Medfield, Massachusetts from 2010-13 while concurrently working as the head tennis pro at Manchester Bath and Tennis in 2009-11. As a collegiate student-athlete, Klaeson competed for Ole Miss between 2005 and 2008, where he guided the team to a No. 2 national ranking, its highest ever, in his junior year. Klaeson helped the Rebels win four SEC West titles, an overall SEC championship, and am SEC Tournament crown. The team also reached the semifinals, quarterfinals, and made two "Sweet Sixteen" appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Individually, Klaeson earned a No. 52 singles ranking and a No. 10 doubles ranking while also making the Athletic Association Honor Roll. Prior to competing at Ole Miss, Klaeson represented Sweden in the Under-18 European Championship. He won a national championship in singles and doubles, earning a No. 2 junior ranking at the time. Originally from Lidkoping, Sweden, Klaeson earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi in 2009. A member of the United States Professional Tennis Association and Professional Tennis Players Association, he enjoys playing golf and being with his wife, Kelsey, kids, Kalla and Kian, and dog, Minka, in his spare time.

Jeff Bresnahan

Job Titles:
  • Head Sailing Coach

Jillian Marshall


Jim Nagle

Job Titles:
  • Head Men 's Lacrosse Coach
Jim Nagle began his duties at Connecticut College as the interim head men's lacrosse coach in January 2020 and was appointed the permanent head coach moving forward on May 15 of the same year. He is responsible for bringing a positive culture of respect to the program while overseeing all day-to-day operations. Nagle most recently served as the head men's lacrosse coach at Stony Brook University for eight seasons, posting a 68-59 record overall and a 31-14 ledger against league opponents. During his tenure with the Seawolves, he won three America East regular season Conference titles, one America East tournament title, and helped the program qualify for the four-team America East Conference Tournament every year. Nagle was also named the America East Conference Coach of the Year twice, including in 2019, and he improved the program's academic progress rate by 55 points. Furthermore, the Seawolves qualified for the NCAA Tournament, set a single-season school record for wins (13), a two-year record for wins (25), produced five All-Americans, and were ranked as high as eighth nationally by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) during his eight-year run. Prior to his arrival at Stony Brook, Nagle was 86-64 in 10 seasons as the head coach of the Colgate University Raiders and won at least 10 games in four of his last six seasons. He is the winningest coach in Raiders history as well as a two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year. Nagle mentored four All-Americans, including the school's first-ever Tewaaraton Finalist, and led the Raiders to their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Colgate was also ranked as high as 10th nationally by the USILA. Nagle's first head-coaching position was at Oneonta State, where he went 65-39 in seven seasons between 1995 and 2001. In 1999, Nagle led the Red Dragons to a No. 11 ranking and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, earning USILA Division III Coach of the Year honors for his efforts. Nagle was named the SUNYAC Coach of the Year three times, and in 1998, Oneonta State boasted the nation's best regular season record at 12-1. Nagle began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Springfield College from 1992-94, where he served under legendary head coach Keith Bugbee. With Bugbee, who is just one of five collegiate men's lacrosse coaches to capture 400 victories, he helped the Pride win an ECAC Championship in 1993 and an NCAA Division II Championship in 1994. As a player, Nagle lettered collegiately at Loyola College in Baltimore, Md. He was a member of a Greyhounds squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times, including a spot in the 1990 title game. On the scholastic level, Nagle played on Ward Melville's 1988 state championship team which went a perfect 24-0. A native of Long Island, Nagle earned his bachelor's degree in Business from Loyola in 1992 and a master's degree in Physical Education from Springfield College in 1994. He and his wife, Kelly, have three daughters, Jamie, Ryan, and Meghan.

Jim Ward

Job Titles:
  • Head Men 's Ice Hockey Coach

Joey DeFillippi

Job Titles:
  • Dayton Arena & Athletic Facility Manager

John Heck

Job Titles:
  • Director of Sports Medicine

John Pirla

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach / Fitness Center Coordinator

Josh Edmed

Job Titles:
  • Associate Director
  • Head Women 's Volleyball Coach

Kate Dadio

Job Titles:
  • Athletic Trainer

Kaylyn Smith

Job Titles:
  • Associate Director of Athletics & Senior Woman Administrator

Kenny Pancoast

Job Titles:
  • Diving Coach

Kristin Steele

Job Titles:
  • Head Women 's Ice Hockey Coach

Laura Nadelberg

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Cross Country / Track & Field Coach ( Men's & Women 's Throws )

Leanne Sakowicz

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Women 's Volleyball Coach

Lee Elliott

Job Titles:
  • Coach

Lisa Vogeley

Job Titles:
  • Head Women 's Lacrosse Coach
Lisa Vogeley enters her third season as the head women's lacrosse coach at Connecticut College in 2019-20.

Liz Cahn

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing & Events

Lydia Dexter

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Coach of the Connecticut College
  • Assistant Women 's Lacrosse Coach
Dexter will make her debut as a full-time collegiate coach with the Camels. She previously served as a volunteer coach at Saint Joseph's College of Maine, and also has coaching experience at both the high school and club level. A native of Oakland, Maine, Dexter recently wrapped up a decorated four-year career at Saint Joseph's, where she became the first women's lacrosse player in school history to earn back-to-back Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Offensive Player of the Year honors. She was also a two-time IWLCA All-Region Second Team selection, and she graduated as the program's all-time leader in points (375), points per game (5.77), assists (161), and assists per game (2.48). Dexter led SJC to a 16-4 record in her final season and scored 85 goals with 46 assists for a total of 131 points. She captured All-GNAC First Team honors for the third time in her career, and capped the 2023 campaign ranked fourth in NCAA DIII in points, fifth in goals, and 10th in points per game (6.55). In 2022, Dexter helped the Monks win their second GNAC Championship while setting school single-season records for points (155), points per game (7.38), goals (80), goals per game (4.44), assists (75), and assists per game (4.00). SJC also posted an overall record of 20-1 and suffered its lone loss in the opening round of the NCAA Championship. Dexter's coaching experience began in 2020 as an assistant at Lake Region High School in Naples, Maine. She then served as a volunteer coach at Saint Joseph's in the fall of 2021 before returning to school to pursue her graduate degree. She has also coached for the Maineiax Lacrosse Club since 2021. Dexter graduated from SJC in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, and returned to earn a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership in 2023.

Marc Benvenuti

Job Titles:
  • Head Men 's Swimming Coach

Matt Anderson

Job Titles:
  • Head Men's & Women 's Water Polo Coach

Matt Mancini

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Athletic Director for Business Operations

Matthew Schaeffer

Job Titles:
  • Assistant
  • Coach

Mia Hernandez

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Women 's Soccer Coach

Mindy Williams

Job Titles:
  • Head Women 's Swimming Coach

Mo White

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Administration

Nate Wheeler

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Men 's Lacrosse Coach

Ned Bishop

Job Titles:
  • Head Women 's Cross Country Coach
  • Head Women's Track & Field Coach ( Women 's Middle Distance & Long Distance )

Nimit Patel

Job Titles:
  • Team Physician

Noel Garrett


Norm Riker

Job Titles:
  • Head Women 's Soccer Coach

Page Owen


Patrick Mahoney

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Men 's Basketball Coach

Phoebe Seifert

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Field Hockey Coach

Reuben Burk

Job Titles:
  • Head Men 's Soccer Coach

Sam Alexander

Job Titles:
  • Head Men 's Cross Country / Track & Field Coach

Sarah Acerbo

Job Titles:
  • Athletic Trainer

Sarah Lathrop

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Women 's Volleyball Coach

Scott Brown

Job Titles:
  • Head Men's & Women 's Squash Coach

Stan Ching

Job Titles:
  • Faculty Athletics Representative

Symonne Scott

Job Titles:
  • Associate Head Coach of Men's and Women 's Track & Field ( Sprints / Hurdles / Jumps / Multi )

Taylor Ham

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Women 's Ice Hockey Coach

Tim Sweeney

Job Titles:
  • Head Men 's Basketball Coach