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Leading up to Syracuse ice hockey’s home series against Lindenwood from Nov. 17-18, 2023, Megan Quinn juggled her assistant coaching duties with event planning, helping organize the program’s alumni weekend.

It made sense for Quinn, who played under Syracuse’s first-ever head coach Paul Flanagan and now coaches alongside Britni Smith, to connect the program’s history with its present.

“I think it was a very smart move by the staff to bring in someone like Megan,” Flanagan said. “Having someone that’s extremely loyal to Syracuse University, not just the hockey program, but the university (is important).”

Quinn committed to the program prior to the 2014-15 season, spent four years at SU and, in 2022, returned as an assistant. While coaching the current group, she has bridged the gap between the Flanagan and Smith eras, utilizing her career as a defenseman with the Orange and her prior coaching jobs.

Over her playing career with SU from 2014-18, Quinn recorded 43 points, earned a College Hockey America Second-Team honor as a sophomore and made two CHA All-Tournament teams. After graduation, Quinn played professionally in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) and National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). While playing professional hockey, she returned to the college game, coaching as a graduate assistant at SUNY Cortland from 2019-21 and then with SUNY Oswego for the 2021-22 season.

But as her playing career slowed, Quinn said she wanted to go all in on coaching.

“I don’t really know anything but hockey,” Quinn said. “That’s just my life that’s so familiar and comfortable and I just wanted to give back and get involved.”

Following a CHA championship in 2022, Flanagan, who had coached the Orange throughout its entire existence, retired as SU’s head coach. But when Smith was hired as Syracuse’s head coach, she wanted someone on her staff who could connect with younger players as she ushered in a new era. And in August 2022, Quinn joined Smith’s staff as an assistant.

“To be back at Syracuse is obviously really special,” Quinn said. “The program means a lot to me and I want to give back to the girls here and give them a good experience like I had.”

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Quinn’s familiarity with SU has helped her players immensely. She said she has given players car rides to class if they were running late, often knowing where the class is and who they have as a professor.

“She’s someone who understands Syracuse and understands for student-athletes what it’s like to be at Syracuse,” Smith said of Quinn.

Her similarity in age to players allows Quinn to form stronger relationships. Flanagan — as a collegiate head coach for over 20 years — said hiring young coaches can be risky at times, as coaches can serve as more of a friend than an authoritative figure.

But that hasn’t proved to be true for Quinn. SUNY Cortland head coach Rick Filighera said while Quinn was an assistant on his staff, she could build individual relationships with the players because of her relatable, trustworthy voice.

“She was out of college just long enough not to be their buddy, but also close enough to understand what they’re dealing with,” Filighera said.

Now back at Syracuse, players see her as a figure who helps on and off the ice. Sophomore defenseman Gabby Dougherty said Quinn has the respect of the team, but still acts as a shoulder to lean on in times of need. On the ice, Quinn often stays after practice to work one-on-one with Dougherty to improve her skating.

When a coach like Flanagan leaves a program, it’s possible the connection with the players from that era can be lost, but Quinn has spearheaded SU’s smooth transition into Smith’s tenure, said Lindsay Eastwood, who played at SU from 2015-20.

At the alumni event, players throughout SU’s history came together to share stories and grow a family atmosphere within the program, Flanagan said. In comparison to other collegiate teams, Syracuse is relatively young, only in its 16th season. But Quinn is making sure the program will stay connected with its young, yet rich, history for years to come.

“You get worried that they’re going to forget about you, but knowing that Megan’s there along with Britni (Smith), they’ve done a great job keeping the alumni in the loop,” said Eastwood. “You know that she’s upholding our legacy and our time there so it’s special for us.”

Published on February 13, 2024 at 11:51 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky