Nike Field Hockey Camp at Fitchburg State University

Kayla Quinn (Head Coach; 3rd Season 12-24)

Kayla enters her third season with the Falcons this season.

2022: Quinn led the Falcons to an overall record of 10-8 and an 8-4 clip within conference play, en-route to leading the Falcons to the sixth seed in the Little East Conference Post-Season Tournament. At the helm, Kayla coached the Falcons' first Field Hockey All-American since the 2009-10 season, while seeing five players named to the LEC All-Conference Teams.

Quinn comes to Fitchburg State after serving as the head coach at Becker College since 2019. In two seasons with the Hawks, her team compiled a 6-12 record with four players being named to the NFHCA DIII All-Academic Squad. Quinn was responsible for all aspects of the program including recruitment, tactical play, and mentoring of the student-athlete.

“Kayla’s enthusiasm for field hockey and the well-being of the student-athlete stood out in the interview process,” said Burke. “She will have an immediate impact on our team this year and in the future.”

Quinn’s collegiate career includes stops at NCAA Division II powerhouses Southern Connecticut State University and Assumption University. In 2016, her final season at Worcester State University, she was named to the Little East Conference Third Team All-Conference. In addition, Quinn is a local coach for Worcester County United Field Hockey where she mentors and trains U17 and U18’s in preparation for post-high school play.

“I’d like to thank AD Burke for giving me this outstanding opportunity at Fitchburg State University,” commented Quinn. “I believe that Fitchburg State provides exceptional opportunities for student-athletes to shine both in the classroom and on the field and I look forward to aiding in that success.”

Quinn graduated from Worcester State University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.

Tori Shaffer enters her first year as head coach of the Simmons field hockey team.

"From the moment I met Tori, I could tell she was a perfect fit for the culture of Simmons Athletics," says Schuling. "During the search process, she impressed the committee with her thoughtful responses and the student athletes could not be more excited. She is committed to developing student athletes that are competitive on the field and equally focused in the classroom. She will provide the necessary leadership to continue the success of the field hockey program while respecting its history and traditions. She demonstrated a continued desire to learn and grow within the profession and she surrounds herself with well-respected colleagues with a similar passion. I look forward to watching the Sharks under Tori's leadership."

A native of upstate New York, Shaffer comes to Simmons with extensive knowledge of the game of field hockey. For the last three years, she served as an assistant field hockey coach under Carly Sweeney at New England College. In the fall of 2022, she helped guide the program to its first NECC Championship Game appearance in program history. Additionally, Shaffer coached four NFHCA All-Region selections along with four NECC All-Conference honorees.

Shaffer also spent a year as the Director of Operations at The Lineup, a college coach co-op designed to be a talent ID event for collegiate field hockey. In 2022, she embarked on orchestrating a major Goalie Day event that featured over 130 goalies, 20 top coaches and 12 current collegiate goalies. In addition to organizing all registrations, she worked alongside world renowned goalie coach Emily Snowden to develop groups, and set up training stations.

"I am thankful to Athletic Director Erica Schuling and the search committee for giving me this opportunity to join the Simmons community and lead the field hockey program," says Shaffer. "I'm also grateful for all the coaches I have worked with and played for in my career for preparing me for this moment. This program is at a great place and I am excited to build on the strong foundation that currently exists."

Before arriving in Henniker, New Hampshire, Shaffer spent two years outside of the New England region, as an assistant coach at Sewanee: The University of the South. With the Tigers, she broke down film to help players hone the game's fundamentals, while also assisting players in their development on the field. Shaffer also played an integral role in the recruiting process for the Tigers, while also aiding in planning the team's yearly budget.

A four-year letter winner at St. Lawrence University, Shaffer graduated in the spring of 2018 with a degree in mathematics. In 50 career games with the Saints, she recorded 10 goals, including a pair of two-game winning goals. Away from the field, she served as a volunteer of "On My Team 16," an organization in Syracuse, N.Y. dedicated to supporting children with cancer.

After graduation, Shaffer spent a year interning with Division III's Northeast Athletic Conference (NEAC) before moving on to obtain her Master's at New England College.