NEW YORK — Columbia field hockey head coach Katie DeSandis announced the hire of Kristen O'Rourke as the program's newest assistant coach on Wednesday. O'Rourke comes to Columbia after serving as the Yale Bulldogs' assistant coach from 2018 to 2022.

"I would like to thank Katie Desandis for bringing me on to the team. I've enjoyed getting to know this staff as colleagues at our respective schools and I'm very excited to join forces with them as we look to make our mark on the Ivy League," noted O'Rourke. "This is an exciting program to be around and I'm grateful to take part in their next chapter."

"I'd also like to thank Pam Stuper (Executive Director, USA Field Hockey Foundation) for introducing me to the Ivy League and for providing me an environment and mentorship with which I was able to grow immensely from during my time at Yale."

In her first season with the Bulldogs (2019), O'Rourke helped the program post its best overall record since 2011 and its best Ivy League record since 2013. Working with the goalkeepers, she helped Sydney Terroso earn second team All-Ivy League honors in 2018 and 2019. 

Prior to coming to Yale O'Rourke gained eight years of coaching experience at the collegiate level and with USA Field Hockey, -- A former goalkeeper, O'Rourke's collegiate coaching experience includes a stint as the goalkeeping specialist for Davidson from 2014 to 2016, where she helped the Wildcats' goalie rank in the top 10 nationally for save percentage in 2014.

Prior to that O'Rourke served as an assistant coach and goalkeeping specialist at Richmond from 2010 to 2014, helping Richmond's keeper lead the nation in save percentage in both 2011 and 2013. In 2013, she developed a first team All-American while contributing to a Richmond defense that ranked first nationally in goals-against average. 

O'Rourke has been involved with USA Field Hockey on multiple levels, including serving as a National Futures Championship coach and selector. At the regional level she has served as site director/head coach, goalkeeping coach and selector.. Additionally, she has been the director of Next Level by KO since 2013, operating clinics and play days while consulting future collegiate keepers.

A native of Williamsburg, Va., O'Rourke received her bachelor's degree in kinesiology from James Madison University in 2010. 
 

In 2010 O'Rourke received her B.S. in kinesiology from JMU, with a concentration in sports management and a minor in business. A four-year student-athlete, she earned JMU Athletic Director Scholar-Athlete honors as a senior. As a junior, the goalkeeper contributed to a JMU team that finished first in the nation in goals against average and shutouts per game (2008).

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