Arizona Rubber

Arizona’s and New Mexico’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey

Scottsdale native, former Boston College women’s great Newkirk named assistant coach at NCAA D-I Brown

 

Brown University has announced the addition of Makenna Newkirk as an assistant coach for the women’s NCAA Division I hockey team.

Newkirk was most recently a coach and assistant director at the North American Hockey Academy, where she transitioned the program from Vermont to Massachusetts. She managed all of the Under-16 team’s dynamics and worked with the Under-19 group during practice and games for two seasons.

NEWKIRK

NEWKIRK

Prior to the North American Hockey Academy, Newkirk was an assistant coach at Milton Academy for one season (2019-20) and was a marketing specialist and skill development coach for Eagles Elite Sports, LLC.

“Makenna brings a champion’s mentality to our program after having an incredibly successful playing career at Boston College and opportunities with the USA National Team,” said first-year Brown head coach Melanie Ruzzi. “Her passion for developing student-athletes on and off the ice will raise the individual skill of our players and help to strengthen the culture and leadership within the program.”

Newkirk starred at Boston College from 2015-19, where she was a two-time captain and ranked fifth all-time in career points (73 goals, 116 assists, 189 points). She helped the Eagles appear in the NCAA national championship game and win two Hockey East championships and three Beanpots. She was voted the conference’s Best Defensive Forward in 2019 and was named Rookie of the Year in 2016.

Following her stellar career with the Eagles, the Scottsdale native competed for USA Hockey and attended three national team festivals. She was a member of the U.S. Under-22 National Team in 2016 and was an invitee to the Olympic tryouts for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Newkirk also played two seasons in the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association in the New Hampshire Region and was drafted seventh overall in the 2019 NWHL Draft by the Connecticut Whale.

During her youth career, Newkirk learned to skate at the Ice Den Scottsdale where she played for the Arizona Selects from 10U to 12U. She then went to AZ Ice Arcadia to play for the VOSHA Lady Coyotes under Gayle Shalloo. From there, Newkirk went to Colorado for a year with the Colorado Select but practiced with Sean Whyte’s Phoenix Firebirds team.

“Sean Whyte had a huge influence on my game in Arizona.” said Newkirk.

Photo/John Quackenbos

(July 13, 2021)

Free Website Hit Counter
Free website hit counter