The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's ice hockey team named Jennifer Wilson assistant coach in September 2024.
Wilson joins the Engineers bench following six seasons at the helm of Division III Lake Forest College, where she compiled an overall record of 77-57-10 and a mark of 56-25-7 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association play during her tenure. Wilson helped the program qualify for the NCHA Slaats Cup Playoffs in each of her six years, of which the Foresters would advance to the semifinal round in five of their six postseason trips.
"We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer Wilson to our hockey program as an Assistant Coach," said RPI Head Coach Bryan Vines at the time of her appointment. "Her extensive experience as a Head Coach at Lake Forest has not only sharpened her tactical skills but also showcased her exceptional ability to lead and inspire. We are confident that her expertise and passion will play a crucial role in our continued success and growth as a team. Her commitment to excellence is exactly what we need to elevate our program to new heights."
Wilson helped Lake Forest qualify for the NCHA Slaats Cup Playoffs in each of her six years as Head Coach, of which the Foresters would advance to the semifinal round in five of their six postseason trips. Wilson's tenure also included nine all-conference selections, five NCHA All-Freshman Team honorees, and 68 NCHA All-Academic Team selections.
Before her success at Lake Forest, Wilson was in the top spot at Buffalo State, a member of the Northeast Women's Hockey League. The Bengals posted a 13-11-2 overall record in 2017-18, Wilson's only season at the helm of the program. The team was 9-6-1 in conference play and earned a home game in the inaugural NEWHL playoffs by placing second in the standings behind perennial national power Plattsburgh State.
Prior to her time at Buffalo State, Wilson spent a pair of seasons as the head coach at ACHA Division I Robert Morris University in Chicago and associate head coach at the high school level at Loyola Academy. She helped lead Robert Morris to the Eagles' first appearance in the conference tournament semifinals in four years and Loyola to a state title and runner-up finish.
Wilson's coaching career began at NCAA Division II St. Michael's in Vermont, where she was an assistant for two seasons. She helped lead the Knights to their first postseason appearance in the program's 12-year history and was selected as an intern coach for the U15 National Development Camp in St. Cloud, Minn. Wilson remains active with USA Hockey as a certified level 4 coach and has additional experience as a talent evaluator, instructor, and coach for several high-level state programs and showcases. Wilson recently guided the USA Women's Ball Hockey team to it first-ever gold medal in the ISBHF World Championships in 2024 and will be returning as the team's Head Coach for the 2026 World Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Wilson began her collegiate playing career at NCAA Division III Manhattanville College, where she was part of the 2006 ECAC-East Championship team that posted a 23-4-1 record. She played her final two years at Robert Morris, where she served as an assistant captain and amassed 49 points on 22 goals and 27 assists in 68 games. The Manitowoc, Wisconsin, native was also one of the state's top high school players and was selected to Team Wisconsin for the Chicago Showcase.
She earned her bachelor's degree in marketing and television writing from Columbia College in Chicago and earned a master's in sports administration from Robert Morris.
