POTSDAM -- After six seasons of sharing head coaching duties of the Clarkson University women’s hockey program with his wife, Matt Desrosiers has assumed the role of the Golden Knights’ sole head coach.

Matt, who has served as the Green and Gold’s co-head coach along with his wife, Shannon, since the 2008-09 campaign, will now be the lone head coach behind the Clarkson bench this upcoming season with the recent announcement that Shannon has stepped down from her position to devote more time to their growing family.

Shannon and Matt, who have a two-year-old daughter, Brynlee Matison, are expecting their second child this summer.

“To put into words what Shannon has done for Clarkson Women’s hockey and the impact she has had on the success of our program and players is very difficult,” stated Mr. Desrosiers. “A better role model for the team you will not find. From the very inception of the program eleven years ago, Shannon has set the standard for Clarkson Women’s Hockey through hard work and has been someone the players have looked up to for guidance and leadership. She has been an integral part of this team going from a startup Division I ice hockey program into the National Championship team we had this season.”

Matt Kelly, who has played an integral role in Clarkson’s success the past six seasons, has been promoted to first assistant coach. A national search is now underway to add another assistant coach to the Golden Knights’ Women’s Ice Hockey staff.

“Both Matt Kelly and I have learned a lot from Shannon working alongside her which has helped make us both better coaches and people. It will definitely be a bit of a transition as our coaching staff has been together for so long, but I look forward to continuing to grow as a coach and build upon the success of the program with Matt,” Mr. Desrosiers added. “Matt has a tremendous work ethic and passion that is second to none. I feel very fortunate to have Matt on staff and look forward to working with him for many years to come.”

“Although Shannon will be missed on our staff, the women’s hockey program continues to be in great hands with Matt Desrosiers and Matt Kelly guiding the Golden Knights,” said Clarkson Athletic Director Steve Yianoukos. “We are very fortunate to have two capable people, who are very passionate about the game and coaching in the program. Both Matts have more than proven their worth by evidence by our national championship and are well respected by our student-athletes. I continue to look for great things for Clarkson Women’s Hockey.”

Desrosiers, who served two years as an assistant on the Clarkson coaching staff from 2006-08 prior to being elevated to co-head coach, has enjoyed great success in guiding the Golden Knights.

This past season Clarkson reached the pinnacle of accomplishments in Division I women’s hockey when the Knights earned the University’s first-ever NCAA Championship. The Green and Gold won the ECAC Hockey regular season title with a 16-2-4 league mark and capped off a 31-5-5 overall record with a 5-4 victory over two-time defending national champion Minnesota in the NCAA Championship game on March 23.

In Desrosiers’ six seasons as a Clarkson head coach, the Knights skated to 134 victories, posted four campaigns of over 20 wins, qualified for the ECAC Hockey playoffs every year, including four home-ice berths, made three conference championship tournament showings and advanced three times to NCAA Tournament.

No stranger to ECAC Hockey or the North Country, Desrosiers played at St. Lawrence University and joined the college coaching ranks after playing professional hockey for several years. Desrosiers focuses on on-ice systems and also is already involved with recruiting.

A four-year standout on defense at St. Lawrence from 1997-2001, Desrosiers helped the Saints reach the Frozen Four as a junior and gained ECAC and All-America honors as a senior. The Fort Erie, Ontario native was also named an ECAC Robbins Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2001.

Desrosiers played five years of professional hockey after graduating from St. Lawrence in 2001. He played in two East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) All-Star games (2002, 2003) representing the Dayton Bombers and the South Carolina Stingrays. He played two seasons in the Central Hockey League (CHL) and helped lead the Colorado Eagles to the 2005 President’s Cup Championship.