When the Harvard women’s hockey team takes to the ice this upcoming October, something will be different.

Crimson coach Katey Stone, the winningest coach in Division I history, is headed overseas. She will take with her the 402 Division I wins, six ECAC championships, and one national championship she has earned in 19 seasons at the helm for the Crimson when she goes.

“It’s hard to imagine Harvard hockey without coach,” co-captain Jillian Dempsey said. “She’s the best at what she does."

With Dempsey graduating this spring, a whole new crop will usher in the new era in Harvard hockey.

“One of the main reasons I came to this school to play is because [Stone] is an awesome coach,” freshman goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer said of her coach. “But I am extremely confident in [interim head coach Maura] Crowell and [assistant coach Haley] Moore.”

Crowell was announced as the interim coach this week after Stone’s decision  to coach the U.S. Olympic Squad next year.

“It’s a great opportunity for her,” Stone said. “She has earned it and I think she will do a great job."

After Crowell got a job with her prep school out of college, she landed at UMass Boston, where she became the winningest coach in the Division III school’s history.

While there, Crowell set a program record for wins in a season, ranked second among all ECAC East coaches in winning percentage, and had several successful playoff campaigns including a pair of semifinals appearances.

The newly named interim head coach arrived at Harvard in 2009 as an assistant after attending a coaching symposium that brought her and coach Stone’s staffs together.

In her capacity as an assistant, Crowell has maintained a strong connection with both the head coach and the players.

“[Coach Stone] has been a great mentor for the past 30 years,” Crowell said. “She allows me to do a lot within the program and learn a lot.”

In Crowell’s mind these connections are facilitated by shared beliefs.

“Part of the reason we work so well together is that we value very similar things,” Crowell said. “Hard work is always going to be at the heart of Harvard hockey.”

The concept of team has been made especially salient for this season’s group of girls. On road trips, Stone would always have her squad bring signs reading “Team First.”