Ethel Walker School
Ken Hyne
Ken Hyne
Ken Hyne has played and head coached men’s fast pitch softball and girls’ and women’s fast pitch softball for over 25 years. He loves teaching the game to the athletes, working with the parents on the role they can play in working with their children, and watching steady improvement from the very young age to when they are ready to play in college. He focuses on teaching not only the skills necessary to maximize their potential but to also understand the game as if they are a coach on the field. Coach Hyne is passionate about relating the game of softball to athletes’ everyday lives and relationships outside the white lines. Over 100 athletes he has coached have played in college at all levels. He takes the most pride in watching each of his teams become significantly better by year end.
While currently the Varsity Head Softball Coach at The Ethel Walker School, Coach Hyne started the first Gold team in the first travel softball organization he was affiliated with, and has coached in both high-level travel programs and at the little league level. He believes every student has hidden inner talent and his goal is to have them reach the potential they set out to accomplish while striving for their “One Moment In Time.” Coach Hyne has coached travel while holding down senior management positions which previously prevented him from coaching in high school and college, but now that he has retired from the full-time corporate world, he wants to fully commit to bringing his love and passion for the game of softball to as many athletes and families as possible.
Coach Hyne is married to his wife, Lynne, with two beautiful daughters, two amazing grandchildren, all of whom reside in Connecticut, and our current forever dog, Jazzy. He played college baseball at Drew University having started every game in his four years there. He is a huge fan of just about all sports, with his favorites being softball, baseball, and college basketball, with a preference for the UConn Women’s Huskies. A fun fact is that Coach Hyne has completed 12 marathons, including the New York City Marathon five times.
Susan Cole
Susan Cole
Rachel Feldman
Rachel Feldman
Jill Mountford
Jill Mountford
Coach Jill Mountford is in her first year as head coach of Walker’s lacrosse program. Prior to Walker’s, Jill was the head lacrosse coach and assistant soccer coach at Gann Academy. Jill has also coached with 3d New England for numerous years and coached the 2025 3d national team in the summer of 2022. She has a USA Lacrosse Level 1 Coaching Certification. Jill’s approach to coaching is centered around building confidence. As a player, she was a First-Team All-State defender in 2018 and 2019.
Brett Benzio
Brett Benzio
Brett Benzio has coached basketball for the past 10 years with stints in the college level at Harvard and the University of Vermont. At the NEPSAC level, Brett has coached at the New Hampton School (Class AA) and Lawrence Academy (Class B). She has reached postseason play in every season as a NEPSAC head coach. She has placed players at the collegiate level at the following schools: Miami University, University of Central Florida, Bryant, Saint Anselm’s, Goldey Beacom, Howard, Manhattan College, UNC, Wake Forest, Lafayette, and Union.
Jill Mountford
Jill Mountford
Rachel Feldman
Rachel Feldman
Rachel Feldman played volleyball (setter/libero/defensive specialist) for both her high school and for several club teams in the Illinois/Wisconsin region. She continues to compete in indoor and beach leagues, and loves to play anytime she can. She coached volleyball for several years at the junior varsity and varsity levels.
Colleen Kinkade
Colleen Kinkade
Randall Sho Northrop
Randall Sho Northrop
Kenzie Hine '16
Kenzie Hine '16
Colin R. Griggs
Colin R. Griggs
Ashley Bonet
Ashley Bonet
Colin R. Griggs
Colin R. Griggs
Colin R. Griggs entered the coaching ranks at Walker’s during the fall of 2022 when he took on the role of Head Coach for both the varsity soccer and squash programs. Prior to arriving at Walker’s, Colin spent time as the head coach of the Black Rock FC Residential Academy team at High Mowing School from 2019-2021 and was at Hebron Academy from 2010-2019. At Hebron, Colin coached over 400 athletic contests in soccer, basketball and tennis and reached the NEPSAC Final in all three sports over the course of those nine years. As a coach, Colin is an enthusiastic supporter of his athletes and tries to always find the best opportunities for them to succeed both on and off the fields and courts. During his playing career, Colin played both soccer and tennis at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. From a personal standpoint, Colin has attended five World Cups and is an avid Liverpool FC fan. He grew up in Guilford, CT and now resides in Granby with his wife, Sarah, and two sons, Raleigh and Henry.
Karim Mabrouk
Karim Mabrouk
Beth McWilliams
Beth McWilliams
Coach McWilliams joined the coaching staff for the 2021-2022 season. Prior to working at Walker’s, Coach McWilliams has coached basketball for various schools and organizations for over 20 years and at various levels (1st grade through 12th grade). At Walker’s, she serves as the CFOO.
Melissa Bernardo
Melissa Bernardo
Karim Mabrouk
Karim Mabrouk
Bethany Davis
Bethany Davis
Bethany Davis played golf at the collegiate level where she played under the direction of LPGA Teaching Professional Laura Brown at Daytona State College and continued her collegiate career with LPGA Teaching Professional Maria Lopez at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where she was named the NAIA Region XIV Player of the Year as well as the Florida Sun Conference Player of the Year, becoming the first Eagle to claim each award. While in college, Bethany’s summers were spent helping teach junior golfers at the Jim Tennant Jr. golf camps at Westwoods Golf Course in Farmington. Bethany has also spent many years working in the golf industry at private country clubs such as Sugar Mill Country Club in New Smyrna Beach, Florida and Heathrow Country Club in Heathrow, Florida, where she was able to work with members such as PGA Tour Players Chris DiMarco and Zach Johnson (before and after he won The Masters). Bethany is the College Counseling Administrative Assistant and also serves as an Upper School co-advisor.
Ben Barker
Ben Barker
Coach Barker joined Walker’s for the 2014 season after coaching in the Simsbury Soccer Club for seven years. In most recent years, he has held simultaneous Head Coach positions in both Travel and Recreational leagues, winning a CJSA League Champions title. He holds the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association’s State Youth Module and State E coaching certificates.
Coach Barker is a graduate from the University of East Anglia in England in Environmental Sciences and is a lifelong advocate and player of the “beautiful game.” He encourages a love of soccer in all players irrespective of skill level, and uses soccer to promote confidence and self-esteem in individuals. His players learn to appreciate the benefits of belonging to a group where teamwork is paramount and all team members are important.
Mimi Duran P'18
Mimi Duran P'18
Mimi Duran has 30 years of coaching experience, both in independent and public schools. She began her tenure at Walker’s in fall 2007 leading an aggressive field hockey effort, winning seven CISAC League titles, six CISAC Tournament titles, and the Class C WNEPSA Championship title in 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Her teams have appeared in the WNEPSA Field Hockey Tournament in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2014 through 2019.
Mimi most recently worked as varsity field hockey coach at Cheshire High School where her team was a finalist in the State Tournament. Prior to that, she was coach at Wamogo High School in Litchfield, CT. While coaching at Wamogo, her teams made six CIAC semi-final appearances, and won six Berkshire League Championships. Mimi is a Coach of the Year recipient from both CHSCA and CFHCA. She is a NFHCA 200 Victory Club Award recipient, and has been selected to membership in the New Agenda: Northeast Women’s Hall of Fame. In 2015, Mimi was inducted into the Connecticut Field Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2019, Mimi received recognition from the NFHCA for her 300th career win and recently was awarded the M.D. Nadal Award for Sportsmanship, given annually by heads of school and athletics directors from the Founders League.
Mimi holds a Connecticut coaching certification, Level 2 United States Field Hockey Association (USFHA) coaching certification, and is a member of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (USFHA), the Connecticut Field Hockey Coaches Association, and a USFHA “future’s coach.” Mimi has taken nine teams to the National Field Hockey Festival and has traveled with her teams to play in Europe and South America. Several of her former players have earned Founders All-League, WNEPASFH and NEPSAC Field Hockey recognition, Regional All-American recognition, NFHCA All–Academic recognition and have played Division I, II and III field hockey at the collegiate level. Several alumnae have pursued coaching and currently coach at the high school level.
In addition to her coaching duties, Mimi Duran is Associate Athletic Director. She holds a Master’s degree in Professional Sports Management from Georgetown University.
Gretchen Sonju
Gretchen Sonju
Gretchen Sonju is a teacher in Avon, head U16 Coach at Mohawk Mountain in northwest Connecticut, and co-director of summer ski camps at Leadchangeracing. As a racer, she competed in Tri-State, USSA, and FIS and raced at Saint Michael’s College. Coach Sonju ran a division of the Missoula Ski Education Foundation in Montana before moving back east to Maine, where she coached the Falmouth High School team and ran the Shawnee Peak race program and adaptive programs. She is USSA Level 200 certified.
Carol Clark-Flanagan P'93, '97
Carol Clark-Flanagan P'93, '97
Dr. Ned Edwards P'07, '10
Dr. Ned Edwards P'07, '10
Ned joined the coaching staff for the spring 2021 season as the assistant in the Varsity Tennis program. Coach Edwards is the Executive Director of the Capabilities Approach Program, Walker’s unique program dedicated to disrupting gendered mindsets and empowering girls to achieve their personal and professional goals. He has previously coached Varsity and JV Tennis and general fitness. Coach Edwards also teaches Ethics, World Religions, and English and is an Upper School advisor.
Brendan O'Dwyer
Brendan O'Dwyer
Coach O’Dwyer helped to coach the Varsity Tennis team to the NEPSAC tournament in the 2017-2018 season. In addition to coaching tennis, Coach O’Dwyer is also the Head Skiiing Coach, where he has helped lead Walker’s to three NEPSAC titles from 2017-2019. Coach O’Dwyer teaches in the History Department and serves as an Upper School advisor.
Brendan O'Dwyer
Brendan O'Dwyer
Coach Brendan O’Dwyer began working at Walker’s in 2015. As a lifelong skier with a passion for the sport, he is honored to be returning to such a strong and successful program. In addition to coaching skiing, Coach O’Dwyer is a member of the History Department at Walker’s and is the head coach of the Varsity Tennis team.
Julia Sheldon
Julia Sheldon
Julia Sheldon has been swimming her entire life and at this point probably has more chlorine in her veins than anything else. She swam competitively from elementary through high school and her swim career culminated with a top eight finish in the 100 backstroke at the Central California Sectional meet during her senior year. Outside of coaching, Dr. Sheldon serves as a teacher in the science department and is an upper school advisor.
John Monagan
John Monagan
Coach John Monagan enters his 14th year coaching the Varsity Softball team as either the head or assistant coach. Throughout his years at Walker’s, the team has won two Western New England titles and has made the tournament in multiple seasons. Coach Monagan teaches history, is an Upper School advisor and dorm affiliate, and is also the Varsity Basketball head coach.
John Monagan
John Monagan
Coach John Monagan is in his 16th year in the Walker’s basketball program. During his years at Walker’s, he has led the Varsity team to the NEPSAC Class C tournament five times. His philosophy centers around playing fast and having a strong offensive attack. In his playing years, Coach Monagan led his prep school basketball team to two New England Championships.
Chris Semk
Chris Semk
