Bio

Robert Lavin enters his third season as head coach of Framingham State University’s Women’s Ice Hockey program in 2026-27, continuing to build the Rams’ newest varsity program from the ground up. Women’s ice hockey launched varsity competition in 2024-25 as Framingham State’s 15th varsity sport, and Lavin has been its head coach from the very first practice.

In 2025-26, just the program’s second year of existence, the Rams took a clear step forward. Framingham State tripled its win total to finish 3-21-1 and, with a young roster still finding its footing, qualified for the MASCAC playoffs. The Rams seized the moment, winning the program’s first-ever playoff game with a 6-2 victory at Anna Maria before falling in the MASCAC Semifinal, a remarkable milestone for a program in only its second season of existence.

Lavin laid the foundation in 2024-25, the program’s inaugural varsity campaign. He recruited and assembled the first roster in program history and guided the Rams through a 1-22 first season, a year defined by firsts, highlighted by the program’s first-ever victory, a 1-0 shutout at Anna Maria on February 21, 2025.

Lavin returned to Framingham State with a deep coaching resume. He previously led the Rams’ men’s ice hockey team from 2001 to 2003, where he expanded the roster and guided the team to an ECAC playoff appearance. Prior to rejoining the Rams, Lavin served as head boys’ ice hockey coach at Worcester Academy from 2016 to 2023, leading the team to two league championships and establishing its JV program. His coaching career also includes collegiate roles at Kent State University, Nichols College, and Salve Regina University, along with high school coaching stints at Natick, Acton-Boxborough, and Winchester.

Lavin holds a Master of Arts in Physical Education with a concentration in Sports Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, both from Kent State University.