Chelsea “Tiger” Sheehan was a very successful field hockey player at Branford High School. She was a major contributor during her four varsity years leading the Hornets to an amazing 65-6-1 record. In those three years, the team won three Southern Connecticut Conference Championships and two CIAC Class M State Championships. They reached at least the quarterfinals of the state tournament in all four years of Chelsea’s career.
Chelsea’s teammates recognized her field hockey abilities, competitive nature, natural leadership and constant all field effort. She was chosen as team captain her junior and senior year. Chelsea was also the only player during the forty-one years Cathy and John McGuirk coached Branford field hockey to be designated as the on-field speaking captain her junior and senior seasons. Chelsea was also a patient and effective teacher in working with younger players.
Chelsea’s excellent defensive abilities allowed her to play on the left wing…which is the hardest side of the field to play. She was always up for the challenge. Chelsea’s motor never stopped! She constantly hustled to steal balls, intercept passes, and block rockets hit by opponents. Chelsea was very brave.
She was one of the four defensive players to stay back with the goalie on corners because of her exceptional defensive abilities, earning her defensive player of the year award her junior and senior years. She also was named best offensive player and team MVP her junior and senior years.
Chelsea received many other awards, being named First Team All-Southern Connecticut Conference, First Team New Haven Register All-Area, and First Team All-State in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, Chelsea was chosen as the New Haven Register All-Area Most Valuable Player for Field Hockey. An excellent student, she was chosen as a scholar-athlete by the state field hockey association in 2007.
Chelsea was also a successful softball player, where she started every varsity game for the Hornets. Her primary position was shortstop. In her senior season, she was named Team Captain, Team Most Valuable Player, and a member of the All-Southern Connecticut Conference team.
Chelsea went on to play Division I softball at Iona College in New York. As a player, she was a four-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Academic Team selection. She started in all 61 games of her senior year, helping the Iona Gaels to their third-straight MAAC Softball Championship title. Chelsea was also a two-time member of MAAC Championship All-Tournament Team, All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Team, and team captain.
Chelsea graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and went on to receive an MBA in Management from Iona. After graduating she worked as the Head Softball Coach and Associate Director of Admission at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY. She spent six years at the collegiate level coaching and working in admissions.
Currently, Chelsea works as a college counselor and softball coach at the Trevor Day School in New York City. She lives in White Plains, New York, with her husband, Chris, and their three-year-old daughter, Claire.
