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Roach and Mullins to tie the knot on Aug. 21
KEENE, N.H., 8/6/10 – Newly appointed Keene State assistant women’s volleyball coach Kristen Mullins has a good excuse for missing the team's first week of pre-season camp. The former Owl star, who is beginning her second stint on the KSC bench, will be marrying high school sweetheart and Keene State assistant men’s lacrosse coach Craig Roach on Saturday, August 21, in Holyoke, Mass.
“I guess there will be two Coach Roaches at Keene State,” said Mullins, who is busy making final arrangements and checking the long-range weather forecast.
“I’m glad they’re getting married. They have a lot in common and that’s important," said Keene State head volleyball coach Bob Weiner.
The couple’s similarities are striking. In addition to both being from Turners Falls, Mass., and playing for the Indians, they both continued their athletic careers at Keene State and currently work as elementary school teachers in the area. Mullins's father, Gary, was also Craig’s high school soccer coach at Turners Falls High.
“From my standpoint, we’re perfect in so many ways,” said Roach, who has served as an Owl assistant coach the past four years. “We have the same upbringing. Both our parents taught and coached.”
Working in the same professions will give them the opportunity to bounce stuff off each other. “We definitely talk about things,” said Mullins, who spent two years as an Owl assistant under former coach Matora Fiorey before becoming the girls coach at Turners Falls. “Even though we coach different sports, we’re both there for each other to offer feedback. It works out nicely.”
“It’s nice to have an in-house resource," said Roach. “If she's gone through something on the court or in the classroom, I can say I’ve been through that once or twice and this is what I did.”
“They have the best of both worlds,” said Keene State men’s head lacrosse coach Mark Theriault. “Not only are they able to teach, they continue to coach at the collegiate level,” he said. “They both understand the rigors of coaching, especially the sacrifices that need to be made, prepping for a game or on the road recruiting and scouting.”
Roach and his father, Daniel, recently returned from an extended overseas trip to see the Tour de France. Not content to just watch the event, the pair flew their bikes over, rented a car, and rode a section of the race route each day.
Roach, who chronicled his trip on a blog he updated daily, was in awe of the competitive cyclists. “The mountains are insanely tough,” he said. “It took me a couple of hours to do one mountain and they are doing six a day.”
The descent is no picnic. “You look over the side of the road and it could be a 2000-foot drop straight down and there are no guard rails.”
When Craig and Kristen take the plunge in a couple of weeks, they will be surrounded by several of their former Owl teammates and friends. Abbe Robichaud Bryant, who will be Kristen’s maid of honor, and Kelly Yankowski are in the bridal party. Former KSC lacrosse players attending the wedding include Chad Tiger, Adam Prisby, and Joe Branciforte. There’s no truth to the rumor that the couple will walk down the aisle under a gauntlet of lacrosse sticks or the attendees will serve volleyballs instead of throwing rice.
After a trip to Maine, the couple will return to Keene and get ready for another school year. Kristin teaches third and fourth grade at the Nelson School while Craig, who earned his master’s degree last spring at KSC, begins his first year teaching first and second graders in the Surry Charter School.
“Summer vacation is nearly over and school is right around the corner,” said Roach. “This summer has been an exciting one.”
