NEW LONDON, Conn. – Kelsey Goodman has been named head coach of the Mitchell College women’s volleyball program, as announced by Director of Athletics Matt Finlayson on Monday.

Goodman will make her collegiate head coaching debut with the Mariners. She most recently served as an assistant coach at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Va. 

“We are excited to add Kelsey to our coaching staff,” said Finlayson. “Her coaching background and playing experience make her a good fit for Mitchell, and she is ready to lead her own program. With a talented roster returning for the fall, I think she’ll be in a good position to hit the ground running.” 

Goodman inherits a team that posted a school record 14 wins and advanced to the semifinals of the New England Collegiate Conference Championship in 2019. The Mariners return the nucleus of that group for the 2021 season. 

“I would like to thank Athletic Director Matt Finlayson, Assistant AD Casie Runksmeier and Assistant AD Todd Peretz for giving me this amazing opportunity to be the head volleyball coach at Mitchell College,” said Goodman. “I am excited for the future of the program and making an impact on the student-athletes’ lives.”

Goodman began her coaching career in 2019 as an assistant coach under Kara Matthews at Randolph. In her first season the WildCats posted 13 wins—the most since 2014—and earned a berth in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament.   

Goodman assisted with all aspects of the Randolph program, including scheduling, budgeting, strength training and recruiting. In addition to her coaching duties, she also taught a physical education class at the college.

Prior to joining the staff at Randolph, Goodman worked summer camps at Midlothian High School, Richmond Volleyball Club, and STAR Volleyball Camps with head coach Tom Houser. Since 2018, she has also given private lessons to high school volleyball players.

A native of Chesterfield, Va., Goodman was a four-year letter winner in women’s volleyball at Roanoke College, where she played right side and was a captain in her senior year. She was also a member of Roanoke’s SAAC all four years. She graduated with a degree in health and physical education and went on to earn a master’s in sports management at Liberty University.

WESTFIELD Mass. – A pair of Mitchell College golfers were honored by the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference on Wednesday. 

Senior Jared Hoover (Milford, Conn./Milford) and sophomore Shamus McLean (Groton, Conn./Fitch)were among the 881 student-athletes selected to the 2021 MASCAC Winter/Spring All-Academic Team. Hoover received honors for the second time in his career while McLean was a first-time recipient. 

Student-athletes must maintain a 3.20 cumulative or semester-based grade point average during the semester to be eligible for selection.  

“Congratulations to the 881 student-athletes who were named to the 2021 MASCAC Winter/Spring All-Academic Team,” said Commissioner Angela Baumann. “Despite the challenges of this year, our student-athletes persevered through the adversity, and the number of honorees is a testament to that.” 

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation’s oldest Division III men’s and women’s playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom. MASCAC member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University. Two other institutions, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in the sports of football and men’s ice hockey, while Western Connecticut State University joined the conference as a football affiliate member in 2013. Dean College, Eastern Nazarene College, Elms College, Mitchell College and Springfield College joined as men’s golf affiliates. 

WEYMOUTH, Mass. — Two members of the Mitchell College baseball team were selected for the 2021 Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 13 in New Britain, Conn.

Senior outfielder Hunter Yaworski and junior pitcher Kenny Heon will represent the Mariners at the FCBL’s “midsummer classic.” The two have spent the summer playing for the Norwich Sea Unicorns, which placed a total of seven players on the all-star roster.

Yaworski, an all-conference performer this past spring with the Mariners, has played in 20 games with Norwich and is batting .295 with nine RBI. He is also tied for the team lead with five doubles. Heon has made five relief appearances and is 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA. He has struck out 15 batters while issuing only one walk in 9.1 innings of work.

Featuring an East-West format, rosters were announced on Wednesday in anticipation of the league’s first All-Star Game since 2019. The West roster includes players from the New Britain Bees, league-leading Pittsfield Suns, Vermont Lake Monsters and Westfield Starfires, while the East side includes the first-place Brockton Rox, defending champion Nashua Silver Knights, Norwich Sea Unicorns and Worcester Bravehearts.

Tickets for Tuesday’s All-Star Game can be purchased through the New Britain Bees by clicking here. Gates open at 5 p.m. while first pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. Admission to Monday’s Home Run Derby is free of charge, with the night’s festivities including batting practices and autograph sessions with both teams.

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College announced on Wednesday that Matt Finlayson has been hired as director of athletics.

Finlayson, who begins his new role on June 30, joins the Mariners after having served as an assistant athletic director at Salve Regina University for the past three years. He will be the department’s sixth full-time director of athletics, and the third since Mitchell became an active member of NCAA Division III.

“I truly believe Mitchell College is a special community where student-athletes can achieve academic and athletic success,” said Finlayson. “I’m very excited and honored to serve as director of athletics, and I am grateful to Dr. Tracy Espy and everyone involved in the search process. I can’t wait to join the leadership team, and I look forward to being part of the bright future here.

“The Mitchell Ability Model, premier athletic facilities and, most importantly, the people I was able to meet through the process—all make this opportunity a perfect fit for me and my family. I’m coming from a private liberal arts university located in a historic coastal New England city, so this feels right at home, especially being originally from Connecticut.”

“We are delighted to welcome Matt as director of athletics, to lead the exceptional cadre of coaches and staff at Mitchell College,” said Dr. Espy. “He is a great addition to the team, who will elevate our athletics program while promoting and expanding sponsorships and funding for our outstanding athletes and teams.”

A graduate of Salve Regina, Finlayson returned to his alma mater in 2016 as an adjunct professor and joined the athletic department in 2018. In his role as assistant athletic director he was charged with enhancing community relations, fostering game day atmosphere, increasing department revenue and promoting special events and alumni development. He was also responsible for the day-to-day business operations, marketing and promotional efforts, and worked to cultivate sponsorship and branding opportunities.

Prior to his time at Salve Regina, Finlayson served as general manager of the Ocean State Waves in the historic New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). After two years of operations, he purchased the franchise in 2014 and served as both GM and president until 2018. He directed the operational and business functions of the organization—including coordinating scheduling, facility operation and capital improvements—as well as fundraising initiatives, marketing, branding and community relations.

Finlayson’s background also includes a three-year stint as director of baseball operations at the University of Rhode Island, where he worked under head coach Jim Foster from 2009-12. In addition to monitoring budgets and other office functions, his responsibilities included fundraising, marketing and community relations. He was also involved with managing game operations for other athletic programs in the department.

Finlayson sharpened his business acumen at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, where he received a Master of Science in sports management. While working toward his degree he held graduate positions as a research assistant, a teaching assistantship and was also a graduate assistant within the athletic department.

As an undergraduate as Salve Regina, Finlayson was a four-year member of the baseball team and a three-time all-conference selection at third base. The Higganum, Conn. native was also a three-time all-academic selection who was named Commonwealth Coast Conference Senior Scholar Athlete in 2008.

Mitchell College is pleased to announce resident theatre company Flock Theatre summer performances of Cyrano de Bergerac on the lawn of the Red Barn at Mitchell College, July 15-18 and July 22-25, at 7pm each night.

The play, widely-known, yet seldom seen, tells the epic tale of Cyrano de Bergerac, a remarkable French swordsman and gifted poet in the time of musketeers. Despite his dashing qualities, Cyrano’s large, protruding nose prevents him from wooing his one true love, the intellectual and beautiful Roxane. When Roxane falls for the young and handsome, yet ineloquent, Christian, Cyrano and Christian strike a deal to woo her using Cyrano’s words and Christian’s good looks. War looms over France, though, and soon the men are called to the front and the lovers’ future becomes uncertain. Cyrano De Bergerac is a hidden gem of theatre concerning dashing heroics and inner/outer beauty. It might just become one of your new favorite plays.

Covid safety state guidelines will be followed
No seating provided; blankets and chairs encouraged

Mitchell College Red Barn Lawn | 629-A Montauk Ave, New London, CT 
July 15 – 18 | 7pm
July 22 – 25 | 7pm

$20 General Admission | Purchase tickets at the performance area entrance

Recent Mitchell College graduate Roland Thivierge ’21 was selected as the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Male Senior Student-Athlete of the Year, as announced by the conference on Tuesday, June 8.

Thivierge becomes the fourth Mitchell student-athlete—and first from the baseball team—to win the award, which is given annually to the top male senior from among the six NECC institutions. The award recognizes athletics and academics successes while also factoring in leadership and community service components, and is determined by a vote of the conference’s Athletic Directors.

Read the full story about Roland and other news from Mitchell College Athletics here.