Kennedy Finalizes Women's Hockey Coaching Staff

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Merrimack College women's ice hockey head coach Courtney Kennedy has finalized her staff with a trio of coaches joining the Warriors ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Keri Clougherty and Robert "Bobo" Carpenter will join Kennedy behind the bench as assistant coaches while Hedi Droste will serve as a director of hockey operations/video coordinator. 

Clougherty arrives at Merrimack after she served as an assistant coach at Robert Morris, helping the Colonials reach the AHA Tournament quarterfinals last season. A four-year product of Boston College women's hockey, Clougherty graduated from The Heights in 2025 after she played 142 games for the Eagles. She was a finalist for the 2025 NCAA Hockey Humanitarian Award, recognized for significant contributions to both her team and community, and was also awarded the prestigious Welles Crowther #19 patch, which is presented annually to the BC student-athlete who best exemplifies the motto "men and women for others." 

Carpenter joins the Warriors after a successful playing career at Boston University and in the professional ranks. Named a captain for the Terriers during his four-year tenure (2015-19), Carpenter won Hockey East in 2018 and recorded more than 100 points in 144 games. Carpenter went on to play eight seasons of professional hockey in the AHL, ECHL and the EIHL. He comes from a successful hockey family with his father, Robert Carpenter, having won a Stanley Cup during his 18-year career in the NHL and his sister, Alex Carpenter, winning an Olympic gold medal with the United States women's hockey team in February. Carpenter previously worked for Axe Sports Group as a coach, scouting talent at some of the top showcases in the region.

Droste rounds out the staff having served as an assistant coach at UMass Boston (2025) and Wesleyan University (2022-24). She joined Wesleyan after she spent two seasons representing the Cardinal as a member of the women's hockey team. Droste has experience working with USA Hockey having worked at a girls national camp in 2024.

Kennedy took over at the helm of the Warriors in March following the departure of Erin Hamlen.

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