Kate Leary returns to the Warriors for her second season with the program in 2022-23.

In her first year at Merrimack, her impact was immediate on the offense as the team's goals per game average elevated above the average for the previous two seasons, along with shots on goal per game. The Warriors also improved their late-game goal scoring, with the score by period highest in the third period during the season.

Leary comes to Merrimack after a season as an assistant coach for the Saint Anselm College women’s team in 2020-21. Prior to coaching, she had an accomplished collegiate career at Boston College, scoring 42 goals and 43 assists for 85 points (42-43--85) in 149 games, helping the Eagles to four NCAA National Collegiate postseason appearances and three Frozen Fours. As a senior, she propelled her squad to a 34-3-2 record and is one of three players all-time to have scored a hat trick in the Hockey East Tournament Semifinals. 

Following her Eagles career, Leary played in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) with the Boston Blades for two seasons. She then competed with the Hockey Club Ladies Lugano in Switzerland for the Swiss Women’s Hockey League A. Most recently, Leary played in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) with the Metropolitan Riveters where she was named NWHL Newcomer of the Year after the 2019-20 season, and competed again in 2020-21.

As a coach, Leary assisted various organizations, including Hill Hockey, Elite Hockey Development, and Leprechauns Hockey. Leary received her first head coaching position at the Walpole Express, piloting its juniors’ team in August 2019. At the same time, she served as the Director and Advisor for Trax Academy in Walpole, Mass., and was responsible for planning and leading on-ice skill development and tutoring high school students.

Leary excelled in the classroom, earning an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) All-Academic Award in the 2013-14 season. Leary also collected the Athletic Directors' Award for Academic Achievement in 2013 and went on to graduate in 2015 with a degree in Applied Psychology and Human Development and History.

Leary is pursuing a master’s degree in Sports Administration at Boston College.