Ethel Walker School
Our program has focused on developing great student-athletes and leaders. Building community is important to the Wildcats, and they give back by participating in yearly breast cancer awareness games and hosting food drives.
Walker’s field hockey program competes in the Western New England Prep School Field Hockey Association (WNEPSFHA), a division of the New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC). Walker’s is a Class “C” division competitor, and also competes in the prestigious Founders League. League competitors include Choate, Taft, Hotchkiss, Loomis, Westminster, Kent, Kingswood Oxford, and Miss Porter’s.
View Photos from Field Hockey Team Bonding Activities
(Pictured: Adirondacks Trip Summer 2018)
Head Coach
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.
Assistant Coach
Coach Dennett began coaching field hockey at Walker’s in the fall of 2018. Dennett was a four-year Division I Colgate player, specializing in defense. Prior to college, she was a four-year member of Futures Field Hockey, a four-year member of Hudson Valley Travel Team, and was selected for Empires in the Hudson Valley, NY region. Dennett was a two-time All-State All-Selection player in high school where she competed for John Jay in Hopewell Junction, NY.
Outside of field hockey, Coach Dennett serves as the Assistant Director of College Counseling and is an Upper School advisor. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, cooking, going to yoga classes, and just being outdoors. She also coaches for HTC Field Hockey.
Led by four captains, the 2021 team’s overall record was 6-9-1. The team was 4-4 against class A and B teams in the Founders League.
Having lost the 2020 season to COVID and six starters to graduation, this was a young team. Throughout the season, on and off the field, they showed resilience and perseverance.
Three of five seniors will play at the collegiate level, Ava Calma at Saint Louis University, Ellie Brothers at Saint Anselm College, and Emily French at American International College.
We look forward to the 2022 season.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
NCAA.orgNCAA Eligibility Center
web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Class C
nfhca.org