Lehigh University Athletics
Staff Directory
Kelsi Lykens
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
Kelsi Lykens enters her fourth season as the head coach of the Lehigh field hockey program.
?The 2025 season saw seniors Zoe Day and Kiki Mes earn All-Patriot League honors, with Mes becoming a four-time all-league selection while adding NFHCA All-Region honors. Mes was also named to the NFHCA Senior Team. The season began with a 4-0 win at La Salle, one of two shutouts for the Mountain Hawks last season.
Lykens has been instrumental in the success of her athletes on a Patriot League level. Under her leadership, Lykens has helped coach and develop one All-Patriot League First Team honoree and three All-Patriot League Second Team honorees. Her overall record is 20-31, and 5-13 in Patriot League Play.
?Prior to her time at Lehigh, Lykens spent six years at the University of New Haven, where she built the program from the ground up for its inaugural season in 2017. Lykens oversaw the growth of a program that culminated in appearances in the Northeast-10 playoffs in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Chargers won 19 games over the last two seasons after just winning seven in their first three years of varsity competition.
?In their 2022 campaign, Lykens helped coach and develop New Haven’s first two NFHCA All-Americans and the Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year. During her tenure, Lykens mentored 14 All-Conference players and seven NFHCA Senior All-Star Team selections at New Haven. New Haven also won the NFHCA National Academic Team Award in five straight seasons, with 43 student athletes landing on the NFHCA National Academic Squad, including 14 Scholars with Distinction, since 2018.
?Following the 2022 season, Lykens was also honored by her peers with the NFHCA’s first-ever President’s Award, which recognizes non-board members who demonstrate exceptional service to the NFHCA and their fellow coaches through committee service and other initiatives.
?In addition to her roles at the University of New Haven, Lykens also served as an assistant coach at Sacred Heart University and an assistant coach at her alma mater, West Chester University, where she helped lead the Golden Rams to the PSAC championship in 2014. She has also served in coaching roles for a local club field hockey team in Connecticut as a U14, U16, and U19 coach.
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Lykens has attended various professional development opportunities, such as the Women Coaches Academy in 2015, the Women’s Coaches Leadership Forum in 2015 and 2016, and the Women’s LeadHERship Symposium in 2018.
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Lykens was a highly decorated player at West Chester, where she earned back-to-back Division II first team All-American honors in 2012 and 2013. She was also named the Division II Field Hockey Athlete of the Year following her senior campaign and helped lead the Golden Rams to national titles in 2011 and 2012. Lykens was also named a field hockey nominee for the Division II Honda Sports Award. She finished her career at West Chester ranked first in the program’s Division II history with 29 career assists, second in career points (95), and third in career goals (33). Lykens was inducted into the WCU Hall of Fame in 2024.
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Lykens graduated in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in professional studies with a minor in health and professional education.
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?The 2025 season saw seniors Zoe Day and Kiki Mes earn All-Patriot League honors, with Mes becoming a four-time all-league selection while adding NFHCA All-Region honors. Mes was also named to the NFHCA Senior Team. The season began with a 4-0 win at La Salle, one of two shutouts for the Mountain Hawks last season.
Lykens has been instrumental in the success of her athletes on a Patriot League level. Under her leadership, Lykens has helped coach and develop one All-Patriot League First Team honoree and three All-Patriot League Second Team honorees. Her overall record is 20-31, and 5-13 in Patriot League Play.
?Prior to her time at Lehigh, Lykens spent six years at the University of New Haven, where she built the program from the ground up for its inaugural season in 2017. Lykens oversaw the growth of a program that culminated in appearances in the Northeast-10 playoffs in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Chargers won 19 games over the last two seasons after just winning seven in their first three years of varsity competition.
?In their 2022 campaign, Lykens helped coach and develop New Haven’s first two NFHCA All-Americans and the Northeast-10 Defensive Player of the Year. During her tenure, Lykens mentored 14 All-Conference players and seven NFHCA Senior All-Star Team selections at New Haven. New Haven also won the NFHCA National Academic Team Award in five straight seasons, with 43 student athletes landing on the NFHCA National Academic Squad, including 14 Scholars with Distinction, since 2018.
?Following the 2022 season, Lykens was also honored by her peers with the NFHCA’s first-ever President’s Award, which recognizes non-board members who demonstrate exceptional service to the NFHCA and their fellow coaches through committee service and other initiatives.
?In addition to her roles at the University of New Haven, Lykens also served as an assistant coach at Sacred Heart University and an assistant coach at her alma mater, West Chester University, where she helped lead the Golden Rams to the PSAC championship in 2014. She has also served in coaching roles for a local club field hockey team in Connecticut as a U14, U16, and U19 coach.
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Lykens has attended various professional development opportunities, such as the Women Coaches Academy in 2015, the Women’s Coaches Leadership Forum in 2015 and 2016, and the Women’s LeadHERship Symposium in 2018.
?
Lykens was a highly decorated player at West Chester, where she earned back-to-back Division II first team All-American honors in 2012 and 2013. She was also named the Division II Field Hockey Athlete of the Year following her senior campaign and helped lead the Golden Rams to national titles in 2011 and 2012. Lykens was also named a field hockey nominee for the Division II Honda Sports Award. She finished her career at West Chester ranked first in the program’s Division II history with 29 career assists, second in career points (95), and third in career goals (33). Lykens was inducted into the WCU Hall of Fame in 2024.
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Lykens graduated in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in professional studies with a minor in health and professional education.
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