Denver announced this week that men’s hockey coach David Carle has agreed to a multi-year contract extension through the 2026-27 season.
In his four seasons as head coach, Carle has guided the Pioneers to an 86-43-13 overall record, two Frozen Four appearances and the program’s NCAA record-tying ninth national championship this past spring. Denver owns a 49-36-9-8 record in NCHC play during his time as the bench boss, also winning the NCHC Penrose Cup as regular-season champion in 2021-22.
“David Carle represents the impressive values of Denver hockey, and I’m thankful for not only inheriting such an intelligent and hardworking head coach but for the work of vice chancellor Karlton Creech and university leadership before my arrival to facilitate this contract extension,” said Denver vice chancellor for athletics and Ritchie Center operations Josh Berlo in a statement. “The 2022 men’s ice hockey national championship added another legacy marker to an already storied program. I’ve had the chance to get to know David over the years and admire the way that he leads this elite program.”
“My family and I are thrilled to be staying in Denver for the foreseeable future,” added Carle. “I want to thank chair of the board of trustees John Miller, chancellor Jeremy Haefner, athletic director Josh Berlo and former athletic director Karlton Creech for their efforts and support for getting this deal done. Being entrusted to lead this historic program is a tremendous responsibility and honor. Our staff and players are excited to build upon the many accomplishments we have achieved together in recent years. We remain steadfast in our pursuit of excelling in the classroom and winning on the ice, and we can’t wait to defend our championship this upcoming season.”
The Pioneers sported a 31-9-1 record during the team’s run to the NCAA championship this past April in Boston, with Carle becoming the fourth-youngest head coach in Division I history to win a national title (32 years, five months, zero days) and was later named the USCHO.com coach of the year.
DU went 18-6-0 in conference play in 2021-22 and sported a 17-1-1 mark at home and a 22-1-1 record in the state of Colorado during the campaign. The Pioneers began the season by winning their first eight home games, the longest streak to begin a campaign since Magness Arena opened in 1999 and tied for the third-longest in school history. Overall, Denver started the year on a 15-game home unbeaten streak, the third-longest in program history and the longest since the 1967-68 season.
Carle was named head coach on May 25, 2018, becoming the ninth head coach in program history and the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I men’s hockey at the time at age 28. In his first year at the helm in 2018-19, Carle led the Pioneers to the 2019 Frozen Four in Buffalo, N.Y., and the team’s 12th straight NCAA tournament appearance with a 24-12-5 overall record (11-10-3-3 NCHC).
Carle has been on the Denver hockey coaching staff in 13 of the last 14 seasons, first serving as a student-assistant coach from 2008 to 2012 while earning his business administration degree in finance from the school. Carle served as an assistant coach with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers for a season and a half (2012-2013) before returning to his alma mater as a full-time assistant coach on Jan. 1, 2014. He spent four and a half seasons in that role under then-head coach Jim Montgomery, helping the Pioneers win the 2017 national championship.
