EMILY McNAMARA

MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College community is mourning the loss of Emily McNamara, a beloved assistant coach for the women’s ice hockey team. She died this past Friday, Sept. 11, after sustaining life-threatening injuries in a March 20 car crash.

“We have been in touch with Emily’s family to share our sorrow and our full support during this difficult time,” reads an Instagram post from the Middlebury College Athletics Department.

“We have also spoken with members of our women’s hockey team and Athletics staff, who are understandably heartbroken by this news. Emily’s husband (Dave Campbell), all her family, her colleagues, the students on the team, and everyone who knew her are deeply in our hearts.”

McNamara, a former Panther ice hockey player herself, suffered these injuries on March 20 after her car went out of control on a snow-covered Route 74 in Cornwall and collided with a construction truck pulling a trailer. At the time state police said that snow and slippery roadways were believed to be contributing factors in the crash.

In the following months, her family and care team documented her recovery online for the many people wishing for her recovery.

“When Em’s family met with her UVM-ICU neurosurgeon for her recovery prognosis following the accident, we were told that statistically the odds were stacked against anyone who had sustained a head injury of that severity to survive six months,” her family posted on Sept. 11.

“Em has again beat the odds and done better than expected but sadly could not win her battle to survive as she passed away at 12:04 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026. But being Mac, she had given us all a chance by fighting forward as hard as she practiced, played, and coached others to do.”

The post concludes, “As Coach Mac might have said, ‘Thank you so much. You all have played an incredible support role throughout this long and challenging journey. All the attention you shared with us made me humbly proud to have you behind me, and your thoughts and prayers clearly helped to keep me going. With your help, we gave it our best and that is the best we can ever do. I join my family in our forever appreciation for hanging with us.’”

McNamara’s Panther hockey career began in 2003 as a player. Over her four undergraduate years, the team claimed two NESCAC and three NCAA titles.

She wasted no time becoming a coach. Her first position was alongside Middlebury College women’s hockey head coach Bill Mandigo the season after she graduated. After four more years with her alma mater, McNamara became a coach for the Mid-Fairfield Connecticut Stars.

Shortly after she moved to Central New York to head the Hamilton College women’s ice hockey program. During her decade-long post, she coached the team to a 135-95-23 record.

Her time with the Continentals was worthy of a nod from the American Hockey Coaches Association in 2023. That year she was dubbed the Division III National Coach of the Year by the organization. She was also the U.S. College Hockey Online Division III National Coach of the Year in 2023. Twice over her tenure with the Continentals she was named the NESCAC Coach of the Year. Her players also earned many accolades.

McNamara then made her way back to the Panther bench to serve beside Mandigo for the 2023-2024 season on.

“In the coming days we will post a full In Memoriam of our remarkable colleague in Midd Stories, and share information we learn about a celebration of Emily’s life as it becomes available,” the college’s Instagram post says. “In the meantime, please keep Emily’s family and loved ones in your thoughts.”