SCHENECTADY, NY—Union College Head Women's Ice Hockey Coach Josh Sciba has announced the hiring of Whitney Colbert and Mitch Baker as his full-time assistant coaches.

Colbert joins the Dutchwomen from Connecticut College, where she spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Camels' women's hockey program. Baker spent eight years as the Assistant Women's Hockey Coach at Bethel University in Saint Paul, MN.

"Whitney brings a new level of passion and energy that our players will feel immediately," said Sciba She'll be a great role model and teacher for our team. Her coaching and playing experience in the NESCAC and work with USA Hockey will help us identify and recruit the type of players that fit our identity here at Union College." 

Colbert helped lead Connecticut College to a program-best fourth-place finish in the NESCAC in 2015-16 with an overall record of 15-8-3. Prior to Connecticut College, Colbert interned with the Cornell University men's hockey coaching staff and with the USA Hockey women's department in Colorado Springs, CO. She continues to be involved with USA Hockey, working at the U-18 and U-15 National Camps in St. Cloud, MN as an intern coach and on-ice skills person. She also acted as the hockey operations assistant for the Top 66 Under-18 player evaluation camp in Maine and for the U.S. vs. Canada three-game series for both Under-18 and Under-22 teams in Lake Placid, NY.

As a student-athlete, Colbert was a four-year player at Trinity College (CT), appearing in 68 games. Off the ice, Colbert spearheaded numerous charitable endeavors in and around the Hartford.  In 2013, she coordinated a "Pink in the Rink," event that helped raise $13,500 dollars for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and in 2014, organized a game dedicated to raise awareness for Connecticut Children's Hospital which raised over $7,500.

Colbert earned a bachelor's degree from Trinity in sociology and is currently completing her master's degree in Sports Leadership at Northeastern University.

Baker coached the Royals from 2007-2015, recruiting and developing four All-Americans, a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Player of the Year and numerous All-Conference honorees. He is the co-founder and has been the owner of Premier Goaltender Development (PGD), also coaching goaltenders at multiple camps throughout North America and Europe and in the USA Hockey development programs. In his time with PGD, Baker has developed five Team USA goaltenders, 10 Strelow Goalie Camp participants and 55 men's and women's NCAA goaltenders. Baker, who spent two years as a member of the Bethel University men's hockey team, earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Bethel.

"Mitch brings a wealth of coaching experience from his years with Bethel College," stated Sciba. "In addition to being an elite goaltending coach, his ability to educate and connect with our players, recruits, and their families will be a huge asset to our program."