History begins 136 years ago in 1889 for the University of Delaware's athletic department, but a new era has just begun in Newark, Del.
The Blue Hens are in their inaugural season at the NCAA Division I level, and first-year head coach Allison Coomey is at the helm, looking to build on their potential and establish a winning culture.
The head coach has Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) ties, having played a role in a thriving culture of winning as a member of the Penn State coaching staff from 2017-24 before taking the reins in Newark, Del.
The start of that culture began when Delaware's coaching staff tabbed two of its more seasoned veterans with more collegiate hockey experience than the Blue Hens themselves.
The only graduate student and one of the two seniors on the debut roster, forward Kaitlin Finnegan and defenseman Tiana McIntyre, are the first Blue Hens to ever don the "C" on a Delaware hockey uniform.
The duo has played in nearly 200 collegiate games combined and is well accustomed to the grind of a Division I season.
Despite the historical leadership appointment, it is not just about the letter on the jersey. The pair of captains know they are setting the tone for the program's first chapter.
VETERAN VOICE
Finnegan comes to the newest AHA program as no stranger to the conference and its teams. Over the course of five seasons, Finnegan played in 107 games for AHA's Lindenwood.
"At Lindenwood, [I realized] there are very competitive teams in this conference, but it is also a conference where you can surprise a lot of teams too," Finnegan said. "I think any team could beat any team. A lot of teams are growing and building, and it's very competitive."
With Lindenwood, Finnegan skated in 65 games against AHA programs. That continues this season, but in a different uniform.
While no other Blue Hen brings conference experience quite like one half of its captains, Finnegan brings a more unique perspective to the program and college hockey.
Finnegan is a native of Tecumseh, Kan.—the only active Division I women's player from the 34th state.
After she entered the transfer portal, Finnegan was drawn to Delaware, its facilities, but mainly its coaching staff.
"Our support staff is unbelievable. Our coaching staff is top-notch. I don't think it gets much better than this," Finnegan added.
Finnegan saw the opportunity to join the newest Division I program as unique, one presented to few collegiate hockey players.
Being a captain of a new program is an opportunity offered to even fewer.
"It is a huge honor to build something from the ground up," Finnegan mentioned. It is super exciting, and everyone on this team is super grateful to be here and [for me] to be in a leadership role is just amazing."
While it is not going to be five seasons in Delaware as it was in Lindenwood, Finnegan knows what she wants her legacy to be in the first state when her AHA days come to a close.
The forward aims to help build a culture that makes players elsewhere wish they were Blue Hens.
"We are helping build the culture, tradition and a legacy here," Finnegan added. "Setting a good culture where recruits want to come here based on how excited they can see everyone is, they want to be a part of it. They are jealous of that culture, and they gravitate towards it."
#16 Finnegan (left) with Lindenwood - Courtesy of Lindenwood Athletics
ACCUSTOMED TO MAKING HISTORY
McIntyre comes to Delaware after spending three seasons in Hamden, Conn., as a member of Quinnipiac's women's hockey program.
The senior blueliner appeared in 67 games with the Bobcats from 2022-25.
Both McIntyre and Finnegan will tell you that this program provides their student-athletes with a breath of fresh air.
"When [coach] Coomey sent me that email, I remembered that [Melissa] Samoskevich was here because I had worked with her before and played with her younger sister for three years," McIntyre said. "Then, coming on my visit really sealed the deal, getting to meet Coomey in person."
Not only has McIntyre made history as one of the team's first-ever captains, but her background also brings a unique perspective to this program.
When McIntyre hit the ice for the first time in 2022-23, she became the first Division I women's player from Utah.
The Park City, Utah, native not only made history for her home state but also helped grow hockey through her work with Smith Entertainment Group (SEG). SEG owns the NHL's Utah Mammoth, and McIntyre had the privilege of working with the organization last summer.
"I coached their youth programs and did a lot of learn to plays, a lot of camps, a lot of girls camps," McIntyre said. "Our first-ever hockey camp through the Utah Mammoth, which was an all-girls camp, was super, super special.
When asked about her legacy at Delaware, it was not a thought that had crossed the defenseman captain's mind, as she is living in the moment. However, after a moment of thinking about it, you would have thought she answered this question previously.
"I want to leave it better than when we came in, which is tough to say because we came in starting from scratch," McIntyre added. "I want to leave this place with a sense of identity, a sense of culture and building up who we are together as a unit."
The two captains' backgrounds differ considerably, apart from the fact that they both play collegiate hockey. Despite this, their perspective drives a desire to help their new program grow and find its identity.
Tiana McIntyre (far left) working with SEG - Courtesy of Tiana McIntyre/Delaware Athletics
IDENTITY BUILDERS
We were super fortunate to get our four leaders that we have here, and they all bring different qualities," Coomey conveyed. "The one thing that stood out to us is they are excited to be a part of a new program and help set the legacy."
Coomey wants great players on the ice, but shared that what the program really needs in its early days is excellent character —people the 17 freshmen on the roster can look up to as role models.
The Blue Hens' bench boss noted how strong this group is in helping its underclassmen and making sure they keep their priorities straight. The upperclassmen are taking the best lessons from their past experiences and bringing them to the youngest Blue Hens to learn and grow from.
Coomey knows her first captains as a head coach are the right people to help her reach her goal of building the program's identity.
"Being a part of a new team and establishing the culture that we have here, that's something that is going to carry on," Coomey shared. "You know, from Finney's only year here till the end of time, you know? That is really cool for them to come in, make an impact, not only on the ice, but more importantly off the ice."
Its earliest captains' actions will undoubtedly have a lasting impact at Fred Rust Ice Arena or on any sheet of ice the Blue Hens take.
Delaware’s 2025–26 leadership group — top row (left to right): Danica Mark, Tiana McIntyre; bottom row (left to right): Mattie Robitzer, Kaitlin Finnegan - Courtesy of Delaware Athletics
DEFINING DELAWARE
Of the 22 that make up its inaugural squad, only five are upperclassmen. The only two juniors in the program, Mattie Robitzer and Danica Mark, round out the leadership group and serve as alternate captains this season.
While the wins and potential banners will come in time, the culture being built by the earliest players to don the Blue Hen head on a jersey will have a lasting effect for many years.
The building of champions starts in year one, a time to learn and adapt, but also to set the standard for years to come.
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