Laura Bellamy '13 returned to Harvard in August of 2023 to become the Landry Family Head Coach for Harvard Women's Ice Hockey.
The Crimson demonstrated significant progress in Bellamy's second season at the helm in 2024-25. The team not only defeated a pair of ranked opponents in No. 8 Connecticut and No. 15 Yale but also showed major progression statistically. During the season, Harvard allowed 28 fewer goals to opponents and improved its penalty killing percentage by 12 points compared to the 2023-24 campaign. Under Bellamy's guidance, Harvard also set a new program record in blocked shots at 536. Off the ice, the Crimson set a new standard of academic excellence, posting a 3.66 team GPA while earning 11 ACHA Scholar All-America honors and 19 ECAC All-Academic Team awards.
In her first season at the helm of Harvard women's ice hockey, Bellamy guided the Crimson to five victories. Bellamy and the Crimson made history at the 2024 Women's Beanpot by becoming the first college women's ice hockey team to record a win at the TD Garden after upsetting the No. 13 Boston College Eagles in the consolation round. Bellamy recorded her first career head coaching victory against another Beanpot rival, Boston University, on Nov. 14, 2023.
Bellamy began her second stint in Cambridge after eight seasons on staff at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). After arriving in The North Star State as an assistant coach in 2015, Bellamy was elevated to the associate head coach role prior to the 2019 season. During her eight years in Duluth, Bellamy helped transform the Bulldogs into a national power, securing four NCAA tournament berths and two Frozen Four appearances, and a finish as the national runner-up in 2022. UMD was consistently ranked inside the national top 15 under and earned its highest ranking in program history after earning a No. 4 ranking this past season.
A noted developer of talent, Bellamy coached 10 Olympians, two Patty Kazmaier Top-3 Finalists, seven All-Americans, two Hockey Humanitarian Award Finalists, 26 All-WCHA Selections, three WCHA Student-Athletes of the Year, one WCHA Player of the Year, two WCHA Defenders of the Year and two WCHA Goaltenders of the Year during her time in Duluth.
Her efforts did not go unnoticed as in 2022 she was named the American Hockey Coaches Association (ACHA) National Assistant Coach of the Year. Now, Bellamy will return to coach the Crimson for a second time, hoping to bring similar success back to Bright-Landry Hockey Center.
After her graduation from Harvard in 2013, Bellamy chose to stay in Cambridge and begin her coaching career with the Crimson. The Duluth native led all video coordination, scouting and training efforts for Harvard, helping lead the team to a run of success during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. In just three years in her role, Harvard earned two NCAA tournament bids and finished as the national runner-up in 2015 after making the Frozen Four.
A former standout herself, Bellamy remains one of Harvard's best goaltenders in its 45-year history. She holds the program record for lowest goals against average in a season (0.92 in 2012-13) and is second in career shutouts (19) and third in wins (60). Additionally, the two-time captain received First-Team All-Ivy recognition in 2012-13. She led Harvard to two NCAA tournament appearances, the 2013 Ivy League title and a 60-25-7 record during her time in Cambridge.
Bellamy also displayed exceptional leadership abilities within the women's hockey program and in the Cambridge community during her four years. Bellamy, who was a co-captain during the 2012-13 season, volunteered for numerous programs around the area. She contributed to such activities as the Cambridge After School Program, Harvard Peer Advising Fellows and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Bellamy's coaching expertise has also been on display in the international hockey scene as shown in her participation in Team USA Hockey. The program has invited Bellamy to coach at the USA Hockey Player Development Camp annually since 2014. She also participated as a coach at the USA Hockey Women's National Team Goaltending Camp from 2017-19.
An ambassador and advocate for women's ice hockey, Bellamy has served on several committees, including the ACHA Women's Hockey Bracket Expansion Committee that met in 2021, and successfully expanded the NCAA tournament field from eight to 11 teams.
