Union College Athletics

Claudia Asano Barcomb
Head Coach
Sixth Season
Alma Mater: Harvard '99

Claudia Asano Barcomb begins her sixth season as head coach with the goal of turning Union Women’s Ice Hockey into a league contender. Barcomb, who was named Head Coach on April 23, 2007, served as an assistant coach at Harvard University for five seasons before she was named the third head coach in Union Women’s Ice Hockey history.

Since she arrived on Union’s campus, she has coached former goalie Lundy Day to become the program’s All-Time Saves Leader. Day was also selected Third Team All-ECAC Hockey, as well as nominated for the prestigious Patty Kazmaier Award last season. This was the first nomination in Barcomb’s tenure and in school history, as well. Barcomb’s teams have steadily improved their Special Teams skills, posting the highest penalty kill percentage (.815) in the past 10 years. The highest power play percentage in the past ten years has also come during Barcomb’s first four seasons, when the 2008-09 Dutchwomen posted a .094 percentage.

Along with coaching on the ice, Barcomb has made major contributions to the community off the ice. She initiated the Pink at the Rink Program at Union, which has raised over $30,000 for the American Cancer Society in the last four years. She teamed up with Coaches vs. Cancer to help increase funding and awareness for breast cancer research. Barcomb has formed a community service program with the Boys and Girls Club, Schenectady Youth Hockey, Clifton Park Youth Hockey, Adopt a Family, and with local public elementary schools throughout Schenectady, NY.

Not only does she motivate her team to give back to the community, the head coach contributes alongside her girls, as well. During the 2008-09 season, Barcomb cut off at least 10 inches of her hair to donate to cancer patients. She also participated in the American Cancer Society Walk with her team in October of 2009. The Dutchwomen raised almost $1,000 for the Adopt a Family program, when they donated presents to two families with two children each.

Most recently, Barcomb and her team aided Habitat for Humanity in building a new home, participated in CATWALK for a Cause, and hosted a dance for STRIDE. The team also provided Score for Kristen and the Kids with a power play pledge. Money was donated to a local family, closely a part of the Union Community, whose young daughter had developed Ewing’s Sarcoma. Kristen, 10 years old continues her battle with cancer and the Union Athletic Department has now implemented Kristen's Kause to help fundraise money for treatment.

In the classroom, Barcomb has helped mentor 49 All-ECAC Hockey Academic Selections in just three years. Her team has won back-to-back ECAC Hockey Turfer Athletics Awards in the last two seasons. The Turfer Athletic award, chosen by the coaches and players in each league, is awarded to an ECAC Hockey Team that has shown good sportsmanship, tenacity, commitment and innovation.

In 2010, Barcomb was the director of the USA Hockey 14 Camp and a coach for the 17 Camp. As an active member of USA Hockey, Barcomb has coached at five development camps, including the 2009 Under-16 Camp in St. Cloud, MN and the Select 17 Camp in Lake Placid, NY in 2008. She has also coached the 2003 and 2006 Girls’ Select 14 Camps in Rochester, NY, and the 2007 Girls’ Select 15 Camp in St. Cloud, MN.

During her tenure at Harvard, Barcomb served as the top assistant to Head Coach Katey Stone. She worked primarily with the Crimson’s defense and led Harvard’s recruiting efforts, securing Olympic, All-American, All-ECACHL and All-Ivy League players. Barcomb helped lead the Crimson to the NCAA Frozen Four championship game in 2003-05, three ECACHL tournament championships from 2004-06, three Beanpot championships and two Ivy League titles.

A 1999 graduate of Harvard University, Barcomb was a three-year letterwinner for the Women’s Ice Hockey Team. She captained the 1999 squad to the ECACHL Regular-Season and Tournament Championship and the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance Division I Title. Barcomb also earned three letters in Lacrosse at Harvard, serving as Captain in her senior season when she was named Second Team All-Ivy. Prior to Harvard, Barcomb played both hockey and lacrosse at Boston College.

Before joining Stone’s staff at Harvard, Barcomb was the Associate Director of Athletics at the Middlesex School in Concord, MA, where she taught European History while serving as the Head Junior Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Coach and the Assistant Coach for Varsity Field Hockey
and Ice Hockey.

A native of Concord, MA, Barcomb earned her master’s degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, graduating in June of 2007. Barcomb is also a member of the NCAA Rules Committee and is currently the vice president of American Women’s Hockey Coaches Association. She got married in June of 2011 to her husband Brandon and has a daughter named Stella. The family currently resides in Clifton Park, NY.