BOSTON - Kerstin Matthews has been named associate head coach of the Boston University women's ice hockey program, head coach Brian Durocher announced on Wednesday.

Matthews, who transitioned BU from a club team to the Division I level and served as Durocher's top assistant for three seasons, returns to BU after spending the past 14 years as the head coach at Saint Anselm. She compiled a 237-74-22 record at Saint Anselm with an impressive winning percentage of .745.

"We are excited to welcome Kerstin back to Boston University and our hockey program," Durocher said. "She is a highly successful coach who will bring a great deal of experience to our staff. Her knowledge of Boston University and understanding of our program's history will allow her to return in a seamless manner. I am certain that the student-athletes in our program will see the passion, conviction and expertise that she brings to the game. I look forward to the many contributions that she will make as our associate head coach."

Since joining Saint Anselm in 2008, Matthews led the Hawks to seven 20-win campaigns, including five in the last seven seasons. Her teams won five postseason tournament titles and finished as the runner-up on five other occasions. Matthews won coach of the year honors three times across play in the ECAC East, the New England Hockey Conference and the New England Women's Hockey Alliance.

Guiding the program during the NEWHA's transition to NCAA National Collegiate play since the start of the 2017-18 season, Matthews developed the league's player of the year in 2019 (Katy Meehan) and two rookies of the year in Meehan (2018) and Erin Meyers (2019). Matthews has coached one Laura Hurd Award finalist in her career (Alex Starzyk) as well as 2020 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient Amanda Conger.

"I am thrilled to be back at Boston University working with Coach Durocher," Matthews said. "Boston University's commitment to its student-athletes both athletically and academically is top notch, which makes it an excellent place to be for both student-athletes and coaches. I look forward to working with these talented young women and supporting them to reach their full potential both on and off the ice."

Prior to her successful stint at Saint Anselm, Matthews was instrumental in the Terriers' immediate success as a varsity program. In her three years on Durocher's coaching staff, Matthews operated as the team's recruiting coordinator, both domestically and internationally, and specialized with the Terrier forwards. She helped bring players such as Melissa Anderson, Sarah Appleton, Kasey Boucher, Jillian Kirchner, Jenelle Kohanchuk, Holly Lorms and Tara Watchorn to BU during her tenure; those skaters were part of a Terrier squad that won the program's first Hockey East championship in 2010.

Matthews is a 2000 alumna of Providence College, where she graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science in management. She was a four-year letter winner for the Friars, captaining her squad to a 20-10-3 record overall and a 14-7-3 mark in ECAC play in her senior year.