Sydney Daniels was added to the women's ice hockey staff in May of 2018. Daniels joined the staff one year removed from graduation after playing with the NWHL’s Boston Pride for the 2017-18 season. Daniels spent her fourth season with the program in 2021-22.
Daniels oversaw Harvard's offensive and power-play units during the 2021-22 season, coaching the Crimson to its best year in recent memory. For the first time since Daniels joined the staff, Harvard won the Women's Beanpot, Ivy League and ECAC Hockey Regular Season Championship. Daniels helped spur the team to 113 total goals and an average 3.4 goals per game, each good for the program's highest numbers since 2014-15. The power-play was also exceptionally successful, recording 28 goals and a 25.5 percent success rate. The goal total was the most for the Crimson power-play since 2008-09, while the conversion percentage was the program's best since the 2007-08 season. Harvard forward Kristin Della Rovere was named a first-team member by both ECAC Hockey and the Ivy League, while linemate Becca Gilmore was the Ivy League Player of the Year and a ECAC Hockey Second-Team All-League selection. First-year foward Taze Thompson also performed well under Daniels' guidance, earning Ivy League Rookie of the Year and a spot on ECAC Hockey's All-Rookie Team.
Due to COVID-19, the 2020-21 ice hockey season was canceled by the Ivy League.
In her second season with the Crimson, Daniels coached the forward contingent that led Harvard to an 18-14-1 overall record and 15-6-1 ECAC Hockey mark. Under her guidance, Dominique Petrie received Second Team All-ECAC and All-Ivy Honors while Kristin Della Rovere was named Third Team All-ECAC and Honorable Mention All-Ivy. Della Rovere led the team in points (37) and goals (22), a mark putting her top-15 in the nation and the most for a Harvard player since 2014-15 (Mary Parker - 39) and 2012-13 (Jillian Dempsey - 24), respectively. Petire totaled 23 assists through 28 games, the most for a Harvard player since 2014-15 (Samantha Reber - 25) and ranked top-15 in the nation in assists per game.
During the 2018-19 season, Daniels guided the defensive effort that saw rookie Kyra Willoughby recognized as an All-Ivy Honorable Mention. Her role helped the team to a 12-15-5 overall record and a sixth place 9-9-4 mark in ECAC Hockey.
“We are thrilled to have Sydney officially back in the program,” said head coach Katey Stone. “Her passion for the game and commitment to Harvard Hockey is infectious. There is no better place for one of our own to start her college coaching career than back in Cambridge. Sydney’s first-hand knowledge of Harvard College and the inner workings of our program, made her a natural choice.”
Daniels returned to Cambridge shortly after completing an impressive career in a Crimson jersey. In her four-year tenure, Daniels collected 87 points on 59 goals and 28 assists and finished her career with a plus-48 rating. She ranks 33rd on the all-time points list and 15th on the all-time goals list. She was a three-time All-Ivy honoree, served as team captain during her senior season, was a two-time ECAC All-Academic selection and was a member of the 2015 Frozen Four team.
(Daniels’ player bio)
"I was humbled and honored every time I put on the crimson jersey, as I return—I am just as humbled to be able to represent this place and program that I love so much, this time, as a coach."
In her one year stint with the Boston Pride, Daniels appeared in seven games tallying four goals and two assists for six points and was plus-two on the season.
Prior to Harvard, Daniels attended Westminster High School where she earned four varsity letters in ice hockey. She helped lead Westminster to four Founders League Championships, back-to-back New England Championships, was a two-time MVP and served as team captain during her senior season. The Southwick, Mass. native also captained the U19 Assabet Valley team that won three national championships. Daniels twice competed on the Team USA U18 squad, helping the red, white and blue to a gold medal in 2011 and silver in 2012 at the U18 World Championships. Her father, Scott Daniels, competed in the NHL for the Hartford Whalers, Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils.
Daniels graduated from Harvard in 2017 with a degree in psychology and was a member of Leverett House.
