ERIE, Pa. – Former University of New Hampshire All-American and Patty Kazmaier finalist, Kelly Paton, has been hired as the volunteer assistant coach for the upcoming 2011-12 Mercyhurst College women's hockey campaign, as announced today by Mercyhurst Director of Athletics, Joe Kimball. Paton will handle a number of duties both on and off the ice for the Laker coaching staff.

“We are excited to add Kelly to our staff. Kelly has great enthusiasm to join our program and will be able to work well with our players,” said head coach Michael Sisti. “She had a tremendous playing career and a great knowledge of the game. We are looking forward to the upcoming season and providing our players with the building blocks needed to achieve success in all areas of their lives.”

Paton, a native of Woodstock, Ontario, was a First Team RBK/AHCA Women's Hockey Division I All-American after her senior season in 2009-10. That same season, she was named a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given annually to the best Division I women's hockey player in the country. She joined Minnesota's Noora Raty and Mercyhurst's Vicki Bendus as the nominees, with Bendus taking home the honor.

In her senior season with New Hampshire, she set a career high with 51 points, including 19 goals, ranking sixth in the country in points per game (1.55) and fourth in assists per game (0.97). She was also named the Hockey East Co-Player of the Year and a conference First-Team All-Star. She finished her four-year career with the Wildcats having scored 162 points (62 goals, 100 assists).

While attending New Hampshire, Paton was invited to participate in the 2007 Hockey Canada National Women's Under-22 Team Selection Camp.

“I am excited to be given the opportunity to work with Coach Sisti and his staff and look forward to helping the Lakers work towards another successful season,” said Paton of her hiring.

Mercyhurst, under the direction of Sisti, is coming off a season which saw them finish 29-6 overall and earn their 10th straight conference championship. The Lakers made it to the NCAA Division I tournament for the seventh straight time, before bowing to Boston University in the quarterfinals.

Paton will be taking graduate courses within the world-renowned archaeology/anthropology department during her stay at Mercyhurst, under the direction of Dr. James M. Adovasio, who also serves as Mercyhurst's provost and the director of the Mercyhurst Archaeological Institute.