Sam Faber - Assistant Coach - Women's Ice Hockey Coaches - University of New Hampshire Athletics

Sam Faber

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
samantha.faber@unh.edu
Phone:
631-235-7766

Sam Faber was named assistant coach by head coach Hilary Witt in June 2021.

"I am so excited to welcome Sam back home to UNH," Witt said. "She had an amazing playing career but has also worked really hard coaching at every level to gain an amazing amount of experience that will benefit this program greatly!"

Faber, who graduated in 2009 and ranks fifth on UNH's career points leaderboard, returned to Durham following two years as an assistant coach at Long Island University. She helped direct LIU to the New England Women's Hockey Alliance title in the program's first year in 2020, and the Sharks successfully defended that title this season.

Faber has also coached at both the youth and prep school levels for many years.

As a Wildcat in the 2006-09 seasons, Faber led UNH to four consecutive Hockey East regular-season and tournament titles and four NCAA tournament appearances, including the Frozen Four in 2006 and 2008. New Hampshire had an overall record of 118-17-12 (.844 winning percentage) that included a pair of 33-win seasons and a 63-4-7 mark (.899) in Hockey East.

Faber was the team leader in assists each of her last three seasons, and in points as a sophomore and junior. She is one of four Wildcats to record 100+ career assists and ranks third with 112, as well as fifth in points (189) and 13^th in goals (77).

Faber's numerous accolades include being a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top 10 Finalist – bestowed to the most outstanding player in college women's hockey – in 2008, when she ranked No. 1 in the nation with an NCAA-record 13 game-winning goals, as well as 10^th in goals per game and 13^th in points per game. She recorded 48 points on 25 goals and 23 assists that season.

Faber was named to both the Hockey East All-Star Team and New England Hockey Writer's Association All-Star Team three times, as well as the Hockey East Tournament MVP twice.

As a freshman in '06, Faber tallied 22 goals and 29 assists for 51 points to rank No. 3 in the nation in rookie scoring, No. 7 in points per game, 10^th in assists per game and 17^th in goals per game. She was voted the Hockey East Rookie of the Year. That was followed by a 44-point sophomore season in '07, when Faber ranked 11^th in the nation in assists per game and 12^th in points per game. Faber recorded 13 goals and 30 assists for 43 points as a senior; she ranked 13^th in the nation in assists per game and finished her Wildcat career with 143 games played.

At the international level, Faber won a gold medal with the U.S. Women's National Team at the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship. She was also a member of the U.S. Under-22 National Team in '07 and '08.

From 2015-18, Faber played for the Connecticut Whale of the National Women's Hockey League. She was the first signed player in team history and captained the team in the 2017-18 season.

Her professional career also included time with the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women's Hockey League. Faber led the Blades in scoring and finished eighth in the league during the team's inaugural 2010-11 season. Faber was a CWHL All-Rookie Team selection and also garnered Second Team All-Star recognition.

While playing for the Boston Blades, Faber served as an assistant coach for the Boston Shamrocks, a junior hockey program for the top players in the country. During her time she assisted with recruiting and college placement for athletes, while also demonstrating on-ice technical and tactical skills and creating practice plans and fitness programs.