Kelsey Kolojejchick

Category
2019
About This Inductee

At Wyoming Seminary Kelsey was a three-sport athlete excelling in swimming, soccer and field hockey. As a field hockey four-year starter at midfield. Kelsey helped Sem earn 2 state championships (2006/2008) along with 3 district championships (2005/2006/2008) which included an undefeated season in 2006 (24-0). In 2008, she was named player of the Year by both the Citizens Voice and Times Leader newspapers, Sem’s Outstanding Female Athlete, First Team All-State and All-American, Kelsey ended her career at Wyoming Seminary with a record of 87 wins and 5 losses. In 2009, the National Field I Jockey Coaches Association selected Kelsey as the Field Hockey Athlete of the Year. At the University of North Carolina, she was a four-year starter for the Tar Heels at midfield and never missed a start in her career, which is a school record. During her freshmen year, (2009) she helped lead UNC to a National Championship and was named Rookie of the Year. She was named First Team All-ACC four years and the first player in UNC history to be named First Team All-American all four years. She was named 2011 ACC Offensive Player of the Year and scored 23 goals which is a school record for the most goals scored in a season by a junior. She ended her career with a record of 88 wins and 9 losses. Kelsey grew up playing in the USA Field Hockey Futures Program and was selected to the USA Women’s National Team in 2015. She competed on the USA Olympic Field Hockey team at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (finishing fifth). She was instrumental in Team USA winning Gold at the 2013 Pan American Gamers in Toronto. Canada, the 2014 Champions Challenge in Glasgow Scotland, and the 2013 World League Round 2 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The team won Silver at the Pan American Club in Mendoza, Argentina and Bronze in the 2016 Champions Trophy competition in London, England. In 2014, the team finished fourth in the Rabobank Hockey World Cup in The Hague, The Netherlands. From 2008 through 2013, Kelsey has participated in numerous competitions throughout the world and retired with 104 caps. While attending UNC, Kelsey began coaching in 2011 as an assistant field hockey coach at Carrboro High School in North Carolina. In 2012, she became Middle School Head Field Hockey Coach at Smith Middle School in North Carolina. From 2014 to the present, she has coached at numerous USA Field Hockey camps and clinics and has provided lessons for Wyoming Valley Conference field hockey players. Kelsey was assistant field hockey coach at Syracuse University, advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. She was head of Recruiting Operations, Head of Comer Operations, assisted with field analysis and opposing game plan strategies and worked closely with the head coach in all aspects of practices and games. From 2018 to 2022, Kelsey was the assistant field hockey coach at Harvard University. In 2018, Kelsey helped guide the team to a record setting season with a 17-2 record (7-0 Ivy League Champs) and a quarter final finish at the NCAA tournament. In the fall of 2021, she helped guide the Crimson to the NCAA Final Four championship game.  Again, finishing with an overall record of 17-2 and 7-0 in the Ivy League.  At the start of 2022, Kelsey was named Head Field Hockey Coach at Bucknell University becoming the ninth coach in Bison field hockey program history. Kelsey is the daughter of Jim and Doreen Kolojejchick. She has a brother Matt engaged to Breana Thomas. Other family members are her Grandmother Mary Spatz, Aunt Jean and Uncles Midge. Joe and Jeff.