Western New England University

Kyle Lyons recently completed her fifth season as head coach of the Western New England University field hockey program in 2023, leading WNE to one of their most successful seasons in program history. Lyons will begin her sixth season as head coach in 2024. 

The Golden Bears started the 2023 slate with a program record of ten straight wins, including six at home. The season would be highlighted by a win over 12th-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology, defeating the Engineers 1-0 in double overtime. WNE would compete in the Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs, making it to the CCC semifinals before bowing out to top-seeded Roger Williams. Under the direction of Lyons, Western New England picked up four on the All-CCC Teams, with Sarah Johnston collecting her third All-CCC First Team honors, while Haley Kaczka (First Team), Olyvia Whyte (Second Team), and Ella Henry (Second Team) all were highlighted on All-CCC Teams in 2023. The Golden Bears finished with a 14-5 record, their most wins since the 2006 season.

Western New England field hockey produced an 11-6 record for the second consecutive season in 2022, going 4-2 in CCC play. Lyons produced four to the All-CCC teams during the season, including Sarah Johnston, Taylor Klesyk, Haley Kaczka, and Abby Burns. Western New England field hockey finished sixth in the regional rankings in 2022, while Taylor Klesyk and Sarah Johnston picked up National Field Hockey Coaches' Association All-Region team honors.

Lyons improved the Golden Bears from a two-win season to an 11-win season, the program's first season with double-digit wins since 2016. Western New England competed to a 4-2 mark in CCC play while reaching the CCC semifinal round before falling to Endicott on the road. Lyons guided Western New England to five wins in their final six regular season games while seeing four All-CCC team recipients. Sarah Johnston was also named CCC Rookie of the Year for Western New England. 

While the 2020 season saw the Golden Bears compete in just two games, the Field Hockey program, under the direction of Lyons, won their most games in a season since the 2006 season, winning 11 games during the season, including four wins in CCC play. Western New England picked up a Rookie of the Year nomination when Sarah Johnston collected ten goals and seven assists during the season, good for 27 points. Lyons also guided three others to the All-CCC Team. The Golden Bears would bow out of the CCC Tournament in the semifinal round, making it to the semifinals for the first time since 2018.

In her first season at the helm, the Golden Bears went 7-12, including 3-9 in CCC action, and appeared in the CCC quarterfinals. Under her guidance, Western New England was honored as a NFHCA National Team Academic Award winner, while eight student-athletes were honored for achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher. Additionally, the Golden Bears had one All-CCC in Jacqueline Clark, who was selected to the All-CCC second team. 

Lyons brings 11 years of NCAA Division I field hockey experience to Western New England, including four as a student-athlete at the University of New Hampshire and seven as an assistant coach at Bryant University and the University of Vermont.

Most recently, Lyons served as the top assistant at Vermont for five seasons from 2014-19. With the Catamounts, Lyons held the role of recruiting coordinator, organized team travel and assisted with game film breakdown, analysis and scouting. She helped mentor 12 America East All-Conference selections, three NFHCA All-Region honorees and five America East All-Academic performers.

Lyons enjoyed a standout four-year playing career at the University of New Hampshire from 2008-12. She was a two-time America East All-Conference first team selection and two-time NFHCA Northeast Region honoree, garnering NFHCA All-America accolades as a senior in 2011.

Lyons was a three-year starter as a defender for the Wildcats, appearing in 78 career contests with 62 starts. She compiled 58 career points with 22 goals and 14 assists. UNH reached the postseason all four years of her career, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament her junior season when Lyons helped lead the program to its first America East title since 1998.

Lyons gained her first coaching experience at Bryant from 2012-14. She also coached at the club level with Seacoast United and Green Mountain Field Hockey Academy.

A native of White River Junction, Vermont, Lyons earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from UNH in 2012.