BU Alum Watchorn Takes Terrier Women's Helm

The Boston University women's ice hockey program has found its new head coach, just the second in program history.

Former Terriers blueliner and Olympic gold medalist Tara Watchorn was recently named as BU's new head coach, succeeding Brian Durocher, a former BU goaltender and men's assistant coach who had been the only head coach the Terrier women's program had known since it became a varsity squad in 2004-05.

Watchorn, 32, from Newcastle, Ont., spent the last two years as the women's head coach at Stonehill, fashioning a record of 19-16-2 with the Skyhawks in their inaugural 2022-23 playing season, after serving four years as an assistant coach at her alma mater. She was also named New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) Coach of the Year after leading Stonehill to the conference semifinals. As a player at BU from 2018 until 2012, Watchorn tallied 21 goals and 63 assists for 84 points to go with 173 penalty minutes in 127 career games, while helping the Terriers to three NCAA tournament appearances. She went on to play professionally with Alberta, Calgary and Boston in the CWHL, while also winning an Olympic gold medal with Canada in 2014, before joining BU's coaching staff in 2017 under Durocher. 

Durocher, 66, compiled an overall record of 338-215-76 in 19 years at the BU women's helm, including five Hockey East tournament titles and five NCAA tournament appearances. The Terriers also advanced to the NCAA championship game under his watch in both 2011 and 2013. Prior to taking the women's job at BU, he served as a men's assistant coach at AIC, BU, Colgate and Brown from 1979 until 2004. As a player, he tended goal for BU from 1974 to 1978, compiling a 47-13-1 record while backstopping BU to four NCAA tournament berths, including the 1978 national title, and two Beanpot tournament championships. 

The Terriers finished 11-20-3 overall last season, while going 9-15-3 in Hockey East and placing seventh in the final conference standings.