Stevenson University

Ben Halford enters his second season at the helm of the Stevenson Women's Ice Hockey program in 2026-27, after being hired in August 2025. 

2025-26 saw a transition period for the program, where the team led the NCAA in Extra Attacker Goals, and saw close action in several overtime contests.  The team improved my 6 percentage points in the faceoff circle, and individually, junior forward Emma DeMan led the NCAA in regular season faceoff wins. In team play, over the team’s 25 games they increased their chances for by 48, and reduced their chances against by 143. DeMan was also recognized as an All-Conference honorable mention. 

Halford comes to Stevenson following six seasons as an assistant coach with the Penn State University Division 1 women’s hockey program. He was a part of multiple league titles, NCAA tournament appearances, and significant individual accomplishments. He helped to develop the program’s  first ever NWHL Draft pick, saw several players advance to the professional ranks and Olympic play, and guided the program's goaltenders to receive multiple Goalie of the Year awards, all-conference accolades, and invites to the USA High Performance Goaltender Camp.

Halford is also no stranger to the MAC, having overlapped his time at Penn State with five seasons as an assistant coach with NCAA Division III Wilkes University men’s program, and two seasons as the goaltending coach of their women’s program. There he helped to lead the Colonels to a nationally ranked program, a MAC Championship, and numerous individual player accomplishments, including several players continuing to professional opportunities in the AHL and ECHL.  

A self-starter, Halford is also the founder of Accelerate Goaltending. The program offers training programs and camps across the United States. For the past six years, the program has been focusing on technique, game tactics, mental approach, and has seen five goaltenders advance to play for Team USA in international competition, along with multiple across the NCAA Division I and Division III levels.

Halford also brings an array of playing experience. The former goaltender competed in the AHL, ECHL and SPHL following his collegiate career at NCAA Division I Princeton University. As a Tiger, he was part of the 2018 ECAC  Champion team.