Hefner Finalizes Kent State Field Hockey Staff
6/3/2024 9:05:00 AM | Field Hockey
KENT, Ohio – Head coach Heather Hefner has announced that Lizzie Hamlett and Kieran Minton will serve as assistant coaches for the Kent State field hockey program. Hamlett follows Hefner from Liberty, where she was Director of Analytics last year, while Minton has been a member of the Golden Flashes' coaching staff for the past two seasons.
Hamlett assisted in a variety of areas in her role at Liberty last season, including leadership development and mental conditioning. The Lady Flames posted a 17-3 record and earned the program's first-ever at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. In addition to capturing the BIG EAST regular season championship with an unbeaten 7-0 record, Liberty went on the road and knocked off No. 1 North Carolina, the eventual national champion.
Prior to beginning her coaching career, Hamlett was a five-year student-athlete for the Lady Flames from 2018-22 and is tied for second in career games played with 96. She helped Liberty win BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles in her final two seasons. The Fredericksburg, Virginia native led the Lady Flames to a NCAA runner-up finish during the fall 2021 campaign, as the team became the first in school history to advance to a national championship game at the NCAA Division I level.
Individually, Hamlett was a two-time NFHCA All-South Region honoree, earning first team recognition in 2022 and second team honors in 2021, and a two-time All-BIG EAST selection, receiving first team honors in 2022 and second team recognition in 2021. She sits just outside of the top-10 in program history in goals (26), assists (20) and points (72).
Hamlett earned a bachelor's degree in strategic communication: social media management from Liberty in December 2021. She also earned a master's degree in sport management from Liberty in May 2023.
"I am very excited to welcome Lizzie to the Flash Family," Hefner said. "Her ability to develop individuals both on and off the field, her passion for training the mental side of the game, and her talent to create, design and innovate will all undoubtedly propel her towards tremendous success as a coach at Kent State. It is an honor to continue working alongside of her."
Minton arrived in Kent as an assistant coach just prior to the start of the 2022 campaign and has helped the Golden Flashes remain as one of the top programs in the Mid-American Conference with a share of the regular season championship in 2022 and MAC Tournament title game appearance in 2023. Kent State has two victories against Power-Five opponents while Minton has been on the staff, beating Indiana in 2022 and Michigan State in 2023. The Flashes have totaled three NFCA All-West Region honors and seven All-MAC honors over the past two years.
His NCAA coaching career began in 2019 as a graduate assistant at Ohio University. After two years with the Bobcats, Minton served as a volunteer assistant at Ohio State during the 2021 season.
He started playing field hockey at age 11 and most recently played at the University of Chester in England. Minton played the previous four years at Aberystwyth University in Wales and won back-to-back championships in 2013 and 2014.
Minton initially graduated from Aberystwyth University with honors and a degree in biology in 2016. He then pursued a master's degree in biomedical science at the University of Chester and completed a master's degree in physical education teaching and coaching at Ohio University in 2021.
"I am thrilled to keep Kieran as a part of the Flash Family," Hefner said. "His wealth of knowledge, passion for field hockey and unwavering dedication to this team makes him an incredible asset to this program. I am confident he will continue to have a profound impact on the growth and success we have in the years to come."
Be sure to follow Kent State Field Hockey on X, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the team.
