An Unconventional Journey to Success
Join Coach Karen Boen as she discusses her singular career path.
![Coach Karen Boen hugs athlete.](https://stonehill-website.s3.amazonaws.com/files/events/wide-med-coach-karen-boen.png)
About the Speaker
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Famer and Stonehill College Coaches Hall of Fame honoree Karen Boen has brought the men’s and women’s cross country and track & field programs to national prominence with a resume unrivaled in the Northeast-10 Conference.
The fall of 2023 marked the second season for the Skyhawks at the Division I level where Boen coached the men to a third place finish at NEC Championships, as well as a 10th place finish at New England Championships.
In Boen's first year coaching at the Division I level in 2022, the men's cross country team ran to a second place finish in the Northeast Conference Championships, earning her the nod of NEC Coach of the Year.
The men have won eight NE10 Championships, five NCAA East Regional titles, and appeared in 18 NCAA Championships.
The women have captured 18 NE10 Championships, 16 NCAA East Regional titles, and have appeared in 21 NCAA Championships.
After the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Boen and Stonehill men's cross country responded by securing their 18th straight NCAA Division II Championship appearance after finishing third at both the NE10 and NCAA Division II East Regional Cross Country Championships. The men's team saw three all-conference selections including two all-conference second team members. On the women's side, Stonehill finished runner-up at the NE10 Championships for the fifth time in program history while clinching their 21st-straight trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Five members from the women's team along with the team itself earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Awards. Boen and the Skyhawks also saw five all-conference honorees including one all-conference first-team selection.
The 2019 season included her first year strictly coaching the men's and women's cross country teams, where she led the women to their 11th-straight NE10 Championship, their 16th NCAA East Regional Championship, and 19th appearance in the NCAA Championships. The men finished second at the NE10 Championship, third at the East Regional Championship and then appeared in their 17th NCAA Championship in program history. Boen was named NE10 Women's Coach of the Year and USTFCCCA Women's East Region Coach of the Year to bring her total to 66th total award.
The 2017 season, brought Boen her ninth-consecutive sweep of women’s NE10 Championships and her third-straight individual champion in Emily Knox ’18, who also took home her first All-America honor at the NCAA Championship. Boen wrapped up the 2016 season by coaching two-time NE10 Champion, Runner of the Year, East Regional Champion, and All-American Nicole Borofski '17. Borofski finished 19th at the NCAA Championship for the best finish in program history, topping Kelly Chaisson’s 27th-place finish in 2006.
The 2017 men’s squad captured its first-ever New England Championship under the guidance of Boen and a sweep of all meets during the season, including appearing in its 15th-straight NCAA Division II Championships. The team posted a 16th-place finish, matching its ranking and recording its best finish since 2006.
For the first time in her storied career, Boen earned NE-10 Coach of the Year and East Region Coach of the Year honors on both the men's and women's sides, giving her four individual awards in 2013 in addition to the success of her teams. Senior captain Chelsea Bishop capped off Stonehill's 2013 campaign by becoming the fifth All-American performer in Stonehill women's cross country history following her 36th place finish at nationals in Spokane.
During her 22 years at the helm of men's cross country, Boen has coached four All-Americans, over 60 All-Conference and more than 20 All-Region selections. In 25 years with the women’s cross country program, Boen has developed seven women’s cross country All-Americans, more than 30 All-Conference members, and 30-plus All-Region honorees, and has coached the last four out of six NE-10 Rookies of the Year (2015-21). Boen’s 21 NE10 Coach of the Year awards are the most of any coach in the history of NE10 cross country, and she has also earned NCAA Division II East Region Coach of the Year honors 14 times.
Boen’s teams have also excelled academically, making 11 appearances on the NCAA Division II All-Academic Team, and consistently placing the majority of the team on the Stonehill Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.
Along with coaching both men's and women's cross country, Boen is also a member of the Stonehill men's and women's track and field coaching staff in mid-distance and distance events who have also seen just as much success under Boen's leadership. Boen has coached the women's track and field team since 1999 and joined the men's team in 2000 which has resulted in a combined 13 NE10 Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and multiple NCAA Championship appearances. Between both cross country and track and field, Boen has overseen the development of 72 All-Americans and four fellow Hall of Fame inductees.
A 1979 graduate of Bridgewater State College with a degree in exercise physiology, Boen and her husband Carl reside in Stoughton and have three daughters, Courtney, Colleen, and Molly.
This event is sponsored by the Martin Institute.