Niagara coach Jason Lammers has signed a contract extension to coach the Purple Eagles through the 2026-27 season.
Lammers is currently in his sixth season behind the bench for the Purple Eagles.
“Ice hockey is not only an anchor on the university’s campus, it is also a part of the fabric of the western New York community,” said Niagara VP for athletics Simon Gray in a statement. “Jason’s presence behind the bench not only strengthens our team, but he also fills a leadership role within the hockey community in our region. Jason and his staff have consistently recruited excellent hockey players who are, more importantly, scholar athletes that understand their role in making a positive contribution to our region.”
Lammers’ teams are academically one of the top-ranked men’s teams on campus, posting a department-best GPA of 3.68 in 2021-22. In his tenure, 97 student-athletes have made the Atlantic Hockey all-academic team, including a program record and AHA-best 29 in 2021-22.
The hockey program is also heavily involved with Team Impact and Spirited Athletes Bold at Heart while having student-athletes volunteer their free time to assist the university with events, such as the Heart Love & Soul fundraising dinner and ESPN productions. The program shows its Purple Eagle pride, supporting its fellow student-athletes at their home events.
“Our hockey team competes at a high level on the ice,” Gray said. “Off the ice, they bring that same energy and effort to serve our community through a number of programs. Jason has done a wonderful job of strengthening the program while establishing a culture of excellence built on integrity.”
Lammers has led the Niagara hockey program to the Atlantic Hockey final four twice, including an appearance in the AHA championship final in 2018-19. Lammers has also coached multiple all-conference selections, including 2018-19 AHA rookie of the year and national rookie of the year runner-up Ludwig Stenlund.
This season, NU is off to a 9-5-2 start, defeating Omaha to open the campaign while being the only AHA program to receive votes in the DCU/USCHO.com poll the last 11 weeks.
“On behalf of my family, we would like to thank our NU family, president James J. Maher C.M., associate vice president for athletics Simon Gray, administrators, athletic staff, alumni, as well as current players and coaches for the opportunity to continue coaching at Niagara,” said Lammers. “We have enjoyed our time here, the people we have met, and the friends we have made. As a staff and organization, we believe that the Purple Eagle hockey culture is the best in the country because of the investment, participation, and behaviors of the student-athletes who believe in NU.
“We look forward to continuing to build on the legacy of the past and present Purple Eagles as people, students, and players.”
