Kelly Thompson has been at the helm of the Roger Williams University Women’s Basketball program since 2010, in addition to her duties as Compliance Coordinator.
In her tenure as Head Coach of the Hawks, Thompson has quickly elevated the program to new heights. She has led the Hawks to a winning record in every season at Roger Williams, following a 10-year stretch before her arrival in Bristol that produced just two winning seasons. Since her arrival at RWU, she has coached four 1,000-point scorers, became the only RWU Women’s Basketball Head Coach with more than 100 career wins, and coached the program’s first-ever All-American.
During the 2013-14 season, Thompson guided the team to a school-record 22 wins on the year and advancing to the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship Game for the first time. In addition, the Hawks earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the program’s first-ever appearance at the NCAAs. Thompson was recognized as CCC Co-Coach of the Year as well as Cox Sports Rhode Island Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year. In addition, her senior co-captain Kaitlyn Bovee became the first-ever WBCA All-American in program history.
In 2018, Thompson’s coached to the team to arguably its most successful season in program history. Over the course of the year, the team set a new school record with 23 wins in addition to setting a new program record with 13 consecutive games won. The Hawks advanced to the CCC Championship Game and made their second-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The team finished the year with an overall record of 23-6 and achieved its highest regional ranking ever, reaching a high of fifth. Three Hawks were each named to the All-CCC team, including Teagan Dunn, CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year Anna Walther, and CCC Player of the Year Mariah Nicholas. Nicholas was also named to the d3hoops.com Northeast Region Fourth Team, the NEWBA All-New England First Team, and scored her 1,000th career point.
Her third season at the helm saw Thompson coach the Hawks to a 19-9 overall record while finishing conference play with a 14-4 record and qualifying them as the #2 seed in the CCC Tournament. Going deep into the CCC Tournament also secured a birth for the ECAC Tournament for the first time in the program’s history. The accolades continued, as Thompson guided three players to All-CCC honors. Kaitlyn Bovee was named All-CCC First Team for the second straight year. Alexandra Lanieri was named 2nd Team All-CCC, and Elizabeth Kilzi was honored as CCC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Both Bovee and Lanieri went over the 1,000 point threshold for their careers during the season.
In her first year as head coach, Thompson took over a Hawk squad that finished the 2009-10 campaign 9-17 overall and in eighth place in The Commonwealth Coast Conference. Under her tutelage, the Hawks finished the 2010-11 season with a 16-10 record, earning the #6 seed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament and upsetting the #3 seed University of New England in the opening round, the team’s first playoff win since 2001.
Thompson came to Roger Williams via NCAA Division II Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts. She spent the past five years as an assistant coach for the Skyhawks, where her duties included recruiting, scouting, strength and conditioning, and fundraising. During her time at Stonehill, the team compiled a 119-40 overall record, good for a .748 winning percentage, while advancing to the NCAA Division II Tournament each season. She coached two Honorable Mention All-America players, five All-Conference players, three All-Rookie players, two All-Academic players, one Player of the Year, one Defensive Player of the Year, and one Rookie of the Year.
Prior to her time at Stonehill, Thompson spent two years Russell Sage College in Troy, New York as head coach of the Women’s Basketball team and as the athletic department’s sports information director. From 2002-03, she served as Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach, and Assistant Softball Coach at Maine Maritime Academy.
Thompson is a 2002 graduate of Springfield College, where she played on the Women’s Basketball and Softball teams. For the basketball squad, she was a two-time team captain, along with being named the NEWMAC Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-America in 2001.
Thompson completed her Master’s Degree in Sports Leadership from Northeastern University in the fall of 2011 and currently resides in Bristol.
