Josh Sciba spent eight seasons with the Union women’s hockey team (photo: Union Athletics).
After eight years leading the Union women’s hockey program, Josh Sciba has resigned his head coaching position to accept a spot on the coaching staff of PWHL New York.
The position reunites Sciba with new PWHL New York head coach and former Colgate head coach Greg Fargo, under whom Sciba served as an assistant for four years in Hamilton from 2012 to 2016 before making the move to Schenectady.
“I want to thank Josh for his dedication to our student-athletes over the last eight years and the work that he put into our women’s hockey program. The opportunity to coach at the professional level does not come around often, and so we wish Josh well in his new position,” said Union director of athletics Jim McLaughlin in a statement. “We look forward to finding the next leader of our women’s hockey team and seeing the continued strides forward that this program will take in the future.”
“I want to thank my student-athletes, president David Harris, Jim McLaughlin, my coaching staff, and the entire Union College community for embracing my family and I over the last eight years,” added Sciba. “I’m so grateful for this experience and everything that I’ve learned throughout it. I wouldn’t be the coach that I am today without Union College. With the talented women in our locker room, a new facility, scholarships, and a very distinguished degree, I know the best years of Union women’s hockey are yet to come. Union College will always hold a special place in my heart.”
The winningest coach in Union women’s hockey history, Sciba and the program have taken steps forward in both wins and level of competitiveness over the last two seasons. The team won 11 games and earned its first-ever win over a nationally ranked team during the 2022-23 season, and the team’s 19 victories over the last two seasons are the most in a two-year span in the program’s Division I era. The last two seasons have also seen three new entries in both the team’s single-season goals and points record books, as well as three of the program’s nine hat tricks as a D-I program.
In addition, Sciba recruited and guided student-athletes to success off the ice as well. Union players merited 125 ECAC Hockey all-academic team selections over the last eight seasons as well as four College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, and two recent graduates (Meredith Killian ’24 and Allison Smith ’24) were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. The team also continued its long history of community engagement and support through multiple initiatives both in and out of the rink.
With the recent addition of athletic scholarships and a new hockey rink on the horizon for 2025, the future is bright for the Union women’s hockey program.
A national search for the program’s next head coach will begin immediately.
Tracy Dill presents the WCHA championship trophy to Wisconsin’s Britta Curl after the Badgers won this season’s WCHA playoff championship (photo: Matt Krohn).
Tracy Dill has announced that he will step down as the commissioner of the WCHA for personal reasons, effective June 30, 2024.
“I want to express my appreciation to the WCHA membership for allowing me the opportunity to serve as the league commissioner for the past two years. The strength of the WCHA is the outstanding people including the WCHA league staff, student-athletes, coaches, athletic administrators and faculty representatives. I want to thank each of them and wish them nothing but the best for the WCHA,” Dill said in a statement
Dill joined the WCHA office in July 2022 and served as the conference’s interim commissioner over the past two seasons.
“We appreciate the steadfast dedication and effort Tracy has committed to our league in providing us with an outstanding level of leadership these past two years. The WCHA has established an operational standard others aspire to attain and Tracy was able to raise the bar even further,” said Minnesota State director of athletics Kevin Busiman, who also serves as the chair of the WCHA’s Advisory Council and Management Committee.
“He leaves our league even more well-positioned as the leader in collegiate women’s hockey. Tracy brought a wealth of experience and passion for the sport that made him extremely effective in this role and he has set the table for someone to step into that position and continue to move us forward. We are grateful for his service and we wish Tracy and his family much joy and happiness as he steps away and transitions further into this next phase of retirement.”
Under the leadership of Dill over the past two seasons, WCHA teams have won two NCAA championships in 2023 and 2024. The nation’s premier NCAA Division I women’s hockey conference, the WCHA has now won 21 national championships since league play began in 1999-2000.
In the past two seasons, WCHA players earned All-American honors 10 times along with Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques receiving the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award in 2023 and Wisconsin’s Casey O’Brien and Kirsten Simms being selected as Kazmaier Award top-three finalists in 2024.
Dill has helped grow the WCHA’s corporate partnership base during his tenure, which included sponsorship of the league’s annual Final Faceoff tournament with Kwik Trip along with partnerships with Cub Foods, Two Men and A Truck, Krampade, Howies Hockey Tape, Game One, Sterling Trophy & Awards, Print Labs and JLG Ice.
The visibility of the league continued to match the excellence of its teams as 15 WCHA games were televised live on FOX9+ in the Twin Cities in 2023-24, which also included coverage in Duluth, Minn., Madison, Wis., and Columbus, Ohio. In 2024, the St. Cloud State vs. Ohio State game was included as part of Bally Sports Hockey Day Minnesota coverage and two league games were featured on the Big Ten Network.
The WCHA’s online presence has also grown as B1G+ has offered live streaming of all home WCHA games over the past two seasons along with consistent growth of followers on the league social media platforms and usage of the league’s website, WCHA.com
Dill has been involved in college athletics as a player, coach, and administrator for more than 40 years. Prior to his time with the WCHA, Dill spent nine years at Bemidji State as that school’s director of intercollegiate athletics. Prior to his tenure at Bemidji State, Dill was at St. Cloud State for 28 years in various capacities, including coaching and administration.
The WCHA will begin the process of finding a replacement for Dill immediately.
Macklin Celebrini won the 2024 Hobey Baker Award at Boston University (photo: Matt Woolverton).
NCAA players went in the first two picks of the 2024 NHL Draft for only the third time, led by Hobey Baker Award winner Macklin Celebrini of Boston University at No. 1.
The San Jose Sharks selected Celebrini to kick off the draft Friday in Las Vegas, with Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov going to the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 2.
Celebrini was third nationally in scoring with 64 points for the Terriers as a freshman forward in 2023-24. He was the fifth NCAA player to be the top pick; the others were Michigan State’s Joe Murphy in 1986, Boston University’s Rick DiPietro in 2000, Minnesota’s Erik Johnson in 2006 and Michigan’s Owen Power in 2021.
Levshunov had 35 points in 38 games to help the Spartans to their first Big Ten championship.
They joined Power and teammate Matty Beniers in 2021 and DiPietro and Wisconsin’s Dany Heatley in 2000 as the only college duos to be selected with the first two picks.
In all, nine players who either played college hockey last season or are expected to in the coming seasons were selected Friday, the same as in 2023. The only years with more were 2007 and 2016, both of which had 11 NCAA first-round selections.
A third player who was a freshman last season, defenseman Zeev Buium of national champion Denver, was picked later in the first round. The Minnesota Wild chose him with the 12th pick.
Four NCAA recruits went in picks 18 through 21: North Dakota forward Sacha Boisvert to Chicago, Providence forward Trevor Connelly to Vegas, Boston University forward Cole Eiserman to the New York Islanders and Michigan forward Michael Hage to Montreal.
Boston chose Boston College commit Dean Letourneau, a forward, at No. 25 and the New York Rangers grabbed incoming North Dakota defenseman EJ Emery at No. 30.
Forward Matvei Gridin, who committed to Michigan but reportedly is headed to major juniors instead, was selected by Calgary at No. 28.
The final six rounds of the draft are scheduled for Saturday.
Josh Hauge has been behind the Union bench since the 2022-23 season (photo: Michael Mason).
Union has extended the contract of head men’s hockey coach Josh Hauge through the 2028-29 season.
The seventh head coach in the program’s Division I era, Hauge has won 30 games in his first two seasons and started the process of returning Union to the top of ECAC Hockey. Last season, Union clinched a top-six seed in the ECAC Hockey tournament for the first time since 2018.
“We are very excited to see Josh continue his efforts to develop championship-caliber student-athletes on and off the ice,” Union director of athletics Jim McLaughlin said in a news release. “The men’s hockey team has made great strides over the last two seasons, and Josh’s commitment to our program and its student-athletes is evident on a daily basis. We look forward to having Josh behind the bench as the leader of our hockey program for years to come.”
“First off, I would like to thank president David Harris, vice president Annette Diorio and athletic director Jim McLaughlin for their belief in me and the future of the program as we work to develop these young men both on and off the ice,” Hauge added. “This is a commitment both from me and from Union College on the future success of Union men’s hockey. This is where my family and I want to be and we are grateful to continue to call the Capital Region home. I’m very excited about the roster we’ve built for this upcoming year as well as the overall direction of the program. I’m grateful for the trust placed in me and the opportunity to continue to lead the team for years to come.”
Minnesota alumni Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl have been selected as 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame inductees (photo: Minnesota Athletics).
Minnesota women’s hockey alumni Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl have been selected as 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame inductees.
The pair of former Gophers will join Colin Campbell, Pavel Datsyuk, David Poile, Jeremy Roenick and Shea Weber to make up the 2024 class.
Darwitz played at the ‘U’ for three years (2002-05). In that span, she helped the Gophers win back-to-back national championships in 2004 and 2005 and was named 2005 Frozen Four most outstanding player. In the 2005 season, Darwitz tallied 42 goals and 72 assists for 114 points, breaking the NCAA record for points in a single season and earning Bob Allen women’s player of the year honors. In just 99 career games, the three-time All-American currently ranks first in program history in points per game (2.48) and assists per game (1.45).
Like Darwitz, Wendell-Pohl also donned the Maroon and Gold for three years (2002-05). During her time with the Gophers, Wendell-Pohl helped Minnesota win back-to-back national championships in 2004 and 2005 and was named the 2005 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner. She ranks second in program history in points-per-game (2.35), goals-per-game (1.05) and assists-per-game (1.30). The three-time All-American and two-time WCHA player of the year was named Bob Allen women’s player of the year in 2001.
On the international stage, Darwitz and Wendell-Pohl have combined for five Olympic medals and 14 IIHF women’s world championship medals with team USA. Both are members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and the ‘M’ Club Hall of Fame.
The 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Nov. 11 in Toronto.
Melissa Samoskevich spent the 2023-24 season behind the bench at Princeton (photo: Princeton Athletics).
Melissa Samoskevich is joining the Delaware hockey program as an assistant coach for the women’s hockey team.
Samoskevich will assume the role on July 3.
“I am beyond excited for the addition of Melissa to the Blue Hen family,” Delaware head coach Allison Coomey said in a statement. “Melissa brings a wealth of experience to the University of Delaware. She has excelled as a player at the college, international, and professional levels. As a coach, she is knowledgeable, hardworking, and cares deeply about the student-athlete experience. She has worked for top programs and knows what it takes to win at this level. Having worked together previously, I know she is the perfect fit for this program. Melissa is a proven winner, and I am excited for her to bring that experience here. I look forward to learning from her and working with her as we strive to build a winning program here at UD.”
Samoskevich arrives in Newark after spending the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach at Princeton. She aided the Tigers to a 14-12-6 record and an appearance in the ECAC championship quarterfinals. With the Tigers, she assisted with video analysis, practice planning, drill implementation, special teams, and game management.
“I am so excited and honored to have this opportunity to assist Allison Coomey in leading the University of Delaware’s inaugural program,” Samoskevich said. “I am forever grateful to Allison Coomey, Chrissi Rawak, and the administration team at UD for allowing this milestone in the women’s ice hockey game to take place. I look forward to helping Allison establish a strong foundation of excellence that this program can thrive upon. I’m looking forward to being a member of the Blue Hen family.”
In the 2022-23 season, Samoskevich finished her third year on a collegiate staff, serving as the director of player development and operations at her alma mater, Quinnipiac. The Bobcats went 30-10 in Samoskevich’s season on the bench, making the ECAC Hockey semifinals and earning an at-large NCAA tournament bid on the way to making the regional final.
Samoskevich spent the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons at Penn State with Coomey, helping the Nittany Lions to an overall record of 34-13-7 and 24-5-5 in College Hockey America over those two years.
Following her final season at Quinnipiac, Samoskevich was named to the U.S. team for the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Finland, playing in all seven games as the Americans put together an undefeated run to win the gold medal for the fifth-consecutive tournament. Samoskevich had two goals during the pool-play round, one each against Finland and Russia.
The 2019 IIHF Worlds were just the most recent time Samoskevich was called to wear the red, white, and blue, having represented Team USA at a pair of U18 Women’s World Championships. In 2014 in Hungary, Samoskevich had a pair of helpers during the pool-play round as the U.S. won silver, and in 2015 in Buffalo, the U.S. won gold with Samoskevich having a six-goal tournament including a hat trick against Russia to close an unbeaten run through pool play and two goals in a semifinal win over the Czech Republic.
After graduating from Quinnipiac in 2019 with a history degree, Samoskevich began her professional career by playing part of the 2019-20 season professionally in Sweden with Brynäs IF. Later that season, she returned to the U.S. to play first with the PWHPA’s New England team and then with her home-state Connecticut Whale in the NWHL/PHF. Samoskevich has continued her tenure with the Whale through the team’s most recent season, which wrapped in March 2023.
During her undergraduate career at Quinnipiac, Samoskevich scored 54 goals, good enough to graduate third in program history, and 55 assists, for fifth on the Bobcats’ list, for 109 points, fourth-most in program history. Samoskevich was an ECAC Hockey all-rookie team honoree in 2016 while helping the Bobcats to the ECAC tournament title.
A Sandy Hook, Conn., native, Samoskevich, who prepped at Shattuck-St. Mary’s before playing at Quinnipiac, is the oldest of three hockey-playing siblings. Sister Maddy is in the Quinnipiac hockey class of 2024 and brother Mackie, selected in the first round (24th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers, helped Michigan to the Frozen Four in 2022 and 2023 before beginning his professional career in the Panthers organization in the spring of 2023.
Dave Shyiak has more than 20 years’ experience in the college hockey coaching game (USCHO.com file photo).
Former Northern Michigan hockey player Dave Shyiak has been named his alma mater’s fourth head hockey coach.
Shyiak takes over for Grant Potulny, who stepped down earlier this month.
“I’m thrilled that Dave Shyiak will be returning to campus to lead our hockey program,” Northern Michigan AD Rick Comley said in a statement. “Dave was a part of our national championship team and helped keep our program at an extremely high level as an assistant coach for many years.
“Dave is the right person, at the right time, in the right place to lead Northern Michigan back to a national level of success.”
A 1991 graduate of NMU, Shyiak played four seasons with the Wildcats (1987-91), where he helped captain the 1991 national championship team and was a member of both the 1989 and 1991 WCHA playoff championship teams. Shyiak returned to Northern to begin his coaching career as an assistant (1995-2002) under Comley before being promoted to associate head coach for three seasons (2002-05).
After his time at Northern, Shyiak took over as the head coach at Alaska Anchorage for eight years, then went on to experience success at Western Michigan and St. Cloud State.
He has 25-plus years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, where he has been behind the bench for over 1,000 NCAA games, along with an appearance in the NCAA national championship game and five NCAA tournament appearances.
“This is an incredible opportunity to return to my home away from home,” Shyiak said. “Northern Michigan and Marquette are really special to me and my family. We have remained close to a lot of our friends and fellow alums in the Upper Peninsula. To start as a student-athlete in 1987 and come full circle to lead the hockey program as head coach is something for which I will forever be grateful. I want to thank President Tessman and Rick Comley for believing in me. I feel honored and privileged, and I will do everything I can to make this university and community proud.”
Shyiak has spent the past four seasons as the associate head coach at St. Cloud State. With the Huskies, he helped lead the program to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including an NCAA runner-up finish in 2020-21.
Shyiak joined SCSU’s staff after serving as an associate head coach at Western Michigan from 2014 to 2020. Prior to his tenure at WMU, Shyiak worked as an amateur hockey scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization from 2013 to
2014.
His first collegiate head coach position was at Alaska Anchorage from 2005 to 2013. He ranks as the Seawolves all-time wins leader as a coach during the WCHA era with 80 wins and helped UAA advance to the WCHA Final Five.
An evaluator for the USA Hockey selection camps in Michigan from 2015 to 2020, Shyiak served as a coach at the USA Hockey national selection camp in Buffalo, N.Y., in 2020. He has also served as a guest coach for the Washington Capitals Development Camp in 2010 and the Swedish National U20 team camp in 2009.
Dave and his wife, Lucia – a former two-time NMU All-American volleyball standout – have three children, Kristian, Sheldon, and Isabela.
Mike Zannella has been named an assistant coach with the Union men’s hockey team.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mike Zannella and his fiancé Erin to the Union hockey family,” said Union head coach Josh Hauge in a statement. “Mike is a genuine, hardworking person who is going to be a great addition to our staff. We know he’s going to jump in and begin developing our players right away.
“I am extremely grateful to Josh Hauge, [AD] Jim McLaughlin, and [assistant coach] John Ronan for this great opportunity,” added Zannella. “I am thrilled to represent Union College and begin developing our student-athletes. It’s a very exciting time for Union College and the city of Schenectady. I cannot wait to get started.”
Zannella comes to Union from the USHL’s Lincoln Stars where he served as an assistant coach the last two seasons and helped guide the team to a 62-59-6-3 record. In the 2022-23 season, Zannella coached current sophomore DJ Hart in his final year of junior hockey.
Prior to his time with the Stars, Zannella spent five years as an assistant coach with Elmira. During his time with the Soaring Eagles, the team improved year after year, culminating with the 2021 UCHC conference title and the UCHC Pat Thompson Trophy. Zannella was also instrumental in the team qualifying for the 2021-22 NCAA tournament for the first time in a decade.
A native of Ithaca, N.Y., Zannella began his coaching career at Skidmore in the 2016-17 season after playing two years of professional hockey.
Zannella played four years for Buffalo State where he served as a three-year captain of the Bengals. As a senior, he led his team to the most wins of any class and finished his collegiate career ranked 10th all-time in points.
Alaska Anchorage, Dartmouth, Northeastern, and Providence will make their way to Thompson Arena for the 35th annual Ledyard Classic.
The Ledyard Classic is one of the longest standing Division I hockey tournaments and is presented by Ledyard National Bank. This year, the tournament is set to take place on Saturday, Dec. 28 and Sunday, Dec. 29.
“We are excited to host Providence, Northeastern and Alaska Anchorage in the Ledyard Classic this year,” Dartmouth coach Reid Cashman said in a news release. “I am excited for our fans to watch the western-based Alaska along with two of the top programs in Hockey East. It sets up for a tournament that will both challenge our team as well as fill Thompson with two days of great hockey.”
While Alaska will make their way to Hanover for the first time, both Northeastern and Providence are no stranger to the Ledyard Classic. Northeastern will make its first appearance in a decade, last playing in the tournament in 2013. The Friars were also in the tournament in 2013, but have made two appearances since, most recently in 2022, winning the tournament championship with a 6-1 victory over Merrimack.
Tickets for the 35th annual Ledyard Classic will be made available at a later date.
Chris Brooks enters his third season with Clarkson (photo: Clarkson Athletics).
Chris Brooks has been promoted to associate head coach for the Clarkson men’s hockey team.
Brooks has served as an assistant coach for the Golden Knights the last two seasons under Casey Jones.
“I am excited to be able to retain Chris Brooks as an associate head coach,” said Clarkson head coach JF Houle in a statement. “Chris has a vast knowledge of the game and has a good sense of the Clarkson values . He will be able to help develop players for the next level, a proven recruiter with excellent ties to our target areas.”
Clarkson added Brooks to the staff in the summer of 2022, joining the program after six seasons as an assistant coach at Michigan Tech.
As a head coach, Brooks won the 2016 NCAA Division III national championship with Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he coached from 2011 to 2017.
Brooks was honored for his success by being named a finalist for the Edward Jeremiah Award, given to the Division III coach of the year, in 2014, 2015, and 2016, compiling a record of 67-18-5 over those three seasons. Brooks was named the WIAC co-coach of the year in 2015-16 and the USCHO.com Division III coach of the year that same season.
Brooks got his start in coaching at Western Michigan from 1999 to 2008, where he started as an assistant, eventually being elevated to associate head coach. Brooks also played for the Broncos from 1992 to 1996.
James Wisniewski has previously served as a volunteer coach with the Ohio State women’s hockey team (photo: Ohio State Athletics).
Ohio State has announced the hiring of James Wisniewski as associate head coach for the women’s hockey program.
“The biggest things I look for in a staff member is loyalty and hard work and I know that James possesses both,” OSU head coach Nadine Muzerall said in a statement. “He’s an exemplary coach because of his knowledge of the game having played at the level he did both in the pros and for Team USA. He’s not only smart about the game, but he is creative and brings unique concepts to our program. At Ohio State we have elite standards, and James fits that standard.”
Wisniewski is no stranger to Muzerall’s program, having served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Buckeyes for two seasons. He joined the team during the 2019-20 season and that year helped the team win its first WCHA Final Faceoff title in program history. He was also a key part in the improvement of the Buckeyes power play.
“It was such an honor to be part of the Buckeye family four years ago and I’m excited to rejoin the program in this new role,” Wisniewski said. “It’s been incredible to see what Nadine has done to turn this program around and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to assist her, the rest of the staff and the players in continuing the Buckeyes’ dominance in women’s hockey.”
The 14-year NHL veteran was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2002 and went on to play over 500 games for the Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes. In his NHL career, Wisniewski recorded 274 points on 53 goals and 221 assists from the back end.
Internationally, Wisniewski has a gold medal with Team USA from the World Junior Championship in 2004 and another gold from the World Under-18 Championship in 2002. In 2018, Wisniewski was part of the Team USA Olympic squad that competed in PyeongChang.
A Canton, Mich., native, Wisniewski started his junior hockey career in the OHL with the Plymouth Whalers. He finished third among defensemen in overall scoring in the 2003-04 season which earned him the OHL’s 2004 Max Kaminsky Trophy as the most outstanding defenseman, as well as the Canadian Hockey League’s defenseman of the year award.
In addition to his playing career, Wisniewski served as an NHLPA representative for seven years.
Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson takes a timeout during a NCAA Midwest Regional game against St. Cloud State at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio, back in March 2013 (USCHO file photo: Rachel Lewis).
A pioneer in the world of amateur hockey and a mainstay behind the Irish bench for nearly two decades, Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson has announced his plans to step down at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
Current Notre Dame associate head coach and former Irish player Brock Sheahan will succeed Jackson as the next head coach of the Irish upon completion of the 2024-25 season, becoming the fifth coach in program history.
During his tenure leading the Irish, Jackson made the Irish a perennial powerhouse and will enter next season as the winningest active coach in Division I men’s hockey.
“I have decided that this coming season, my 20th at Notre Dame, will be my last,” Jackson said in a statement. “I plan to celebrate my final year at Notre Dame by doing what I love. I get to fully embrace coaching this great game at this incredible university, surrounded by a fantastic staff and good friends, for one more season. Most importantly, I feel privileged to work with some incredible student-athletes pursuing their dreams.”
“I’ve been honored to be able to work with and get to know Jeff (Jackson) during my first year at Notre Dame,” added Notre Dame VP and director of athletics Pete Bevacqua. “His knowledge of the game and love of Notre Dame have taken our hockey program to unprecedented heights over the past two decades. I look forward to supporting Jeff and the entire hockey program as they work to bring great success to South Bend next season.”
The 2024-25 season will mark Year 20 behind the Irish bench for Jackson, who elevated Notre Dame hockey to the national stage including four trips to the Frozen Four, two national championship game appearances and eight conference titles. During his time as the head coach of the Irish, his teams have made 12 NCAA tournament appearances while competing in three different conferences and earning over 400 wins. Since taking over the program in 2005-06, nine individuals have been named All-American while 28 alumni have made their NHL debuts.
A two-time Spencer Penrose Award winner during his career at Notre Dame, presented annually to the top Division I men’s hockey coach, Jackson was also named CCHA coach of the year twice with the Irish to add to his 1990-91 honor while the head coach at Lake Superior State.
Prior to Jackson’s arrival on campus in 2005, the Irish had managed just one NCAA tournament appearance in program history (2004).
In 19 seasons behind an Irish bench, Jackson has amassed a record of 407-264-73 and is the only head coach in program history to surpass 400 wins with the team. His tenure includes 12 trips to the NCAA postseason, five conference tournament championships and various national and conference awards.
Most recently, he reached his milestone 400th win with the Irish, coming in a 6-1 win over storied rival Michigan on home ice. Throughout his tenure, Jackson has brought the Irish to new heights including a record 12 NCAA tournaments and its first-ever Frozen Four in just his third season behind the bench. Raising the CCHA tournament championship trophy in his second season with the Irish, he has gone on to lead the Irish to eight conference championships and was twice named the Spencer Penrose Award winner in 2007 and 2018.
With an all-time Division I record of 589-316-98 at the end of last season, Jackson ranked as the winningest coach among all active coaches at the D-I men’s hockey level. This past season, he eclipsed 1,000 Division I games coached as the Irish rolled to a convincing 6-1 victory over Minnesota to mark the occasion.
Jackson began his coaching career in St. Clair Shores, Mich., where he served as head coach of the NAHL’s St. Clair Falcons. He spent two years in St. Clair before moving to the state’s Upper Peninsula as an assistant coach at Lake Superior State under then-head coach Frank Anzalone. Jackson spent four seasons as an assistant coach for the Lakers before being elevated to head coach for the 1990-91 season. In six seasons behind the bench in Sault Ste. Marie, Jackson’s teams won two NCAA titles in 1992 and 1994 while advancing to the finals in 1993, two CCHA regular season championships and four CCHA Mason Cup trophies as conference tournament champions.
After 10 years with the Lakers between assistant and head coach roles, and three national titles in that span, Jackson left college hockey to start a youth development program for USA Hockey. In 1996 Jackson was named the national coach and senior director of the junior national team and went on to found the U.S. National Team Development Program. In his first year putting the program in place, he served as the head coach for the United States National Junior Team that captured a silver medal at the 1997 World Junior Championship. The following year, he served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Jackson served as the director and coach of the NTDP for four seasons before entering the professional hockey realm.
In 2000, he left the U.S. program and took over as head coach of the OHL’s Guelph Storm where he quickly turned the program around with a pair of winning records. In just over two full seasons with the Storm, Jackson posted an 87-67-24-4 record before accepting the role of assistant coach of the NHL’s New York Islanders prior to returning to the collegiate ranks as the head coach at Notre Dame in 2005.
Sheahan was a member of Jackson’s original Irish team and helped lead the team to its first ever berth in the Frozen Four championship game as a senior defenseman in 2007-08. As a student-athlete at Notre Dame, Sheahan graduated with a degree in finance and served as alternate captain during his final season with the Blue and Gold.
“I could not be more excited to have Brock step in as our Catalino Family head hockey coach,” Bevacqua said. “Brock has shown at every stop in his hockey journey, including his time here as a student-athlete, to be an innovative tactician who is always one step ahead of the curve. This next year will be a great opportunity for him to continue learning from Jeff (Jackson), while preparing to take the helm full time in 2025.”
Sheahan returned to the Irish as associate head coach prior to the 2023-24 season and was instrumental in the development of the young roster. His emphasis on player development in his first season in a full-time coaching capacity at Notre Dame led five graduates to sign professional deals, including a pair of NHL signees in Landon Slaggert (Chicago) and Drew Bavaro (Boston).
“The opportunity to lead the Notre Dame Hockey program is a dream come true for me and my family,” Sheahan said. “I will be forever grateful to Father Bob Dowd, John Veihmeyer, Jack Brennan, Pete Bevacqua, and the University of Notre Dame for this responsibility.
“I am motivated to lead the program forward, with the intention of winning conference and national championships, while developing our student-athletes to the highest level, as both people and hockey players. The mentorship, influence, and friendship from Jeff Jackson, Paul Pooley, and Andy Slaggert has made me into the person and coach I am today. I am especially thankful for the support of Coach Jackson and all the guidance he has provided me over the years. He has made Notre Dame hockey what it is today, and I am excited to work with him this season to achieve our goal of bringing Notre Dame Hockey its first national championship.”
His return to the Irish program a season ago came after a stint as the head coach of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. In one season with the Wolves, he led his team to a 35-29-5 regular-season record.
Prior to his time with the Wolves, he spent four years with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. There, he was a key component in the development of 28 NHL draftees, including four first-round selections and collegiate hockey stars.
During his tenure with the Steel, Sheahan’s teams won two Anderson Cups, awarded to the league’s regular-season champions, as well as capturing the 2021 Clark Cup championship. After assuming the role of head coach partway through the 2019-20 season, Sheahan posted a 100-27-12-3 regular-season record in the USHL and added an 8-3 record in the Clark Cup Playoffs.
Sheahan returned to the collegiate ranks last season, having previously served four seasons as an assistant/associate head coach at Holy Cross following a year as a volunteer assistant coach with the Irish in 2013-14.
A defenseman for the Irish from 2004 to 2008, Sheahan skated three seasons under Jackson. Throughout his collegiate career he appeared in 161 games and tallied 33 points. He served as alternate captain his senior year and was named the team’s top defenseman in 2007-08 after helping his team to their first ever NCAA championship appearance.
“I am excited about the present and the future of Notre Dame hockey,” Jackson said. “Brock is a true Notre Dame man and a fantastic coach. He will do incredible things here. For now, the focus is on preparing for a great 2024-25 season.”
Boston College has announced the addition of Max Gavin to the women’s hockey staff as an assistant coach.
Gavin arrives at Chestnut Hill from Dartmouth, where he served as an assistant coach since 2022.
Before his stint at Dartmouth, Gavin spent the 2021-22 season as the director of hockey operations for the Vermont men’s hockey team. Gavin also served as the head coach for the Powassan Voodoos of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League from 2018 to 2020.
A 2015 graduate of Adrian with a degree in communications, Gavin was a four-year player for the men’s hockey team. He also played briefly for the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL after his college career. Gavin returned to his alma mater from 2015 to 2018, serving as the head coach for the ACHA D-III team and as an assistant coach for the ACHA D-I team.
Gavin holds a High Performance 1 Coaching Certification from Hockey Canada and is the co-founder of the Vermont Youth Hockey Camps.
Ryan Bowles had been with St. Olaf since July 2015 (photo: Hannah Robb).
The St. Olaf College community is mourning the loss of athletic director Ryan Bowles, who passed away from cancer on June 19, 2024.
Bowles was 45 years old.
Hired as St. Olaf’s athletic director in July 2015, Bowles oversaw the college’s 26 varsity sports teams, as well as sports medicine, athletic performance, event management, facility management, and sports information. As a member of the President’s Leadership Team, he led a staff of over 70 full- and part-time staff members in the department, which currently includes more than 550 student-athletes.
Deputy athletic director and senior woman administrator Kelly Mahlum noted that Bowles was deeply devoted to his family and Ole athletics.
“Ryan’s love for his family was first and foremost,” Mahlum said. “The passion he had for sports was shared by his family and was evident in their daily lives, and I witnessed his love for our Oles on a daily basis. Much of what an athletic director does is behind the scenes of the practices, game days, and celebrations. I do not believe Ryan ever saw it as work — he felt it as a calling and a purpose. We will continue to honor Ryan’s imprint on Ole athletics and share our support to uplift Ryan’s wife, Sarah, and his son, Tom.”
During the nine years that Bowles led St. Olaf athletics, 17 of St. Olaf’s 26 sports appeared in/scored in their respective national championship events. St. Olaf also finished in the top 75 of the Learfield Directors’ Cup — the national all-sport competition — four times since 2015-16.
St. Olaf won five NCAA or U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) team national championships, 13 NCAA or USCSA individual national titles, 15 MIAC championships, and appeared/scored in 41 NCAA championships, highlighted by men’s soccer winning its first national championship this past December. St. Olaf’s women’s Nordic skiing team also won the last three USCSA team titles in addition to their 2018 championship.
As committed as Bowles was to the success that St. Olaf student-athletes had while competing, he was equally committed to their success in the classroom and the careers they pursued after graduation. The college’s teams excelled academically, earning numerous academic awards, countless academic All-MIAC accolades, and producing 10 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans. Bowles oversaw the launch of the Ole Leadership Academy for student-athletes in partnership with the Piper Center for Vocation and Career and supported the Academic Success Center’s development of the St. Olaf Orientation to Academics and Resources (SOAR) program.
Bowles was also instrumental in a number of upgrades to St. Olaf’s athletic facilities, including the installation of synthetic turf at Klein Field at Manitou, the renovation of the athletic performance facility in Porter Hall, the creation of the golf training facility, the renovation of Rolf Mellby Field, and the addition of the on-campus St. Olaf Ice Arena. The department also expanded its staffing in sports medicine, athletic performance, and sports information during his time as athletic director.
“Ryan was a cherished friend and valued member of our senior leadership team who led with passion for athletics and a St. Olaf education,” said. St. Olaf president Susan Rundell Singer. “He cared deeply about the holistic student experience, celebrating academic achievements and student leadership. We mourn the loss of his wisdom, enthusiasm, and insights.”
Bowles came to St. Olaf from the University of Maryland, where he oversaw 11 Division I varsity sports and served on the department’s leadership team as associate athletic director for administration. He helped oversee Maryland’s transition from the ACC to the Big Ten and was part of the Big Ten’s Sports Management Council. In previous roles at Maryland, Bowles directed the NCAA and conference championship events hosted by the university and played a leadership role in the development and rollout of a five-year strategic plan for athletics at Maryland.
A former NCAA Division III student-athlete, Bowles was a four-year letterwinner for the men’s soccer program at McDaniel College in his home state of Maryland. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from McDaniel and began his career in intercollegiate athletics as the Asa S. Bushnell Intern for Championships at the ECAC in Massachusetts.
Byron Pool spent seven seasons at NMU (photo: Northern Michigan Athletics).
Dartmouth has announced the hiring of Byron Pool as a new assistant coach for the men’s hockey team.
“I would like to welcome Byron and Kay Pool along with their two children, Harper and Curran, to Dartmouth. Their family will be a tremendous addition to the Upper Valley,” said Dartmouth head coach Reid Cashman in a statement. “Byron is one the most respected coaches in college hockey. He has been a part of winning cultures at every stop along his coaching career. He brings passion, integrity, and experience to our program. Byron is a developer of talent and I know he will not only make our players better but also our staff.”
Pool spent seven seasons as the associate head coach at Northern Michigan. In his first two seasons with the Wildcats, he helped the team earn back-to-back 20-win seasons, the first time it has been done in over a decade. The Wildcats achieved the same feat two years later, going 20-16-1 during the 2021-22 season and 21-17-0 in ‘22-23, the year that also saw them compete in the CCHA title game.
Prior to his three-year stint at Northern Michigan, Pool was on the coaching staff of the USHL’s Fargo Force, serving as an assistant coach before earning the associate head coach title before the 2014-15 season. During his seven years in Fargo, the Force competed in the Clark Cup playoffs four times and were named the USHL’s organization of the year.
Pool also coached the NAHL’s Bismarck Bobcats for two seasons, leading them to the Roberston Cup in 2010.
No stranger to ECAC Hockey competition, Pool played collegiate hockey at Colgate, suiting up on defense for 76 games. Following his graduation with a history degree in 2000, Pool spent four years playing professional hockey for the Corpus Christi IceRays and the Indianapolis Ice.
JF Houle spent the last three seasons with the AHL’s Laval Rocket (photo: Laval Rocket).
Clarkson has announced Jean-François Houle as the 12th coach in the history of the men’s hockey program.
Houle replaces Casey Jones, who was named associate coach at Cornell last week.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to return and coach at my alma mater,” said Houle in a statement. “I am excited about the future of Clarkson hockey and eager to continue the rich history of the program. I am looking forward to becoming a mentor and instilling the Clarkson University values to the next generation of student-athletes. My family and I have forged some deep friendships within the community and we are happy to make Potsdam home again.”
Houle returns to Clarkson after nine seasons in the AHL, the last three as the head coach of the Laval Rocket, Montreal’s top development team.
In his role with the Rocket, he has developed what many in NHL circles believe is the best corps of young talent in the league. In 2022, his team captured the Montreal region when he took the team to the conference finals. While with the Bakersfield Condors from 2015 to 2021, Houle helped develop a significant portion of the current Oilers roster that reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2024.
“We are thrilled to have Jean-François Houle, a Golden Knight alumnus well known around the hockey world, to be our next Leonard S. Ceglarski Head Men’s Hockey Coach,” said Clarkson president Marc Christensen. “His exceptional record in developing talent at both the professional level, combined with his deep connection to our university as a former player and assistant coach, makes him the ideal leader to drive our men’s hockey program to a national championship.”
Houle has a dual connection to Potsdam as a player and coach for the Golden Knights. He enrolled in the fall of 1993 as one of the most highly-touted recruits in the NCAA. A 1993 NHL draft pick (99th overall) of his hometown Canadiens, Houle made an impact right away, registering 25 points in his rookie campaign, which ranked him sixth on the team that season. By his senior year, he and Todd White co-captained the team to the ECAC’s regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA regionals. In total, Houle played 143 games with the Golden Knights, scoring 49 goals with 129 points overall, but most fans remember his devastating hip checks and his emergence as one of the best penalty killers in college hockey.
“People who have been following Golden Knights hockey since we moved into Cheel Arena know JF was among the all-time fan favorites, who played every shift as if it was an overtime in the national championship. With work ethic, passion, loyalty and love for Clarkson hockey and the Potsdam community, JF is the proven leader we need. He has a deep understanding of our program’s values and a strong commitment to student athlete excellence both on and off the ice,” Clarkson athletic director Laurel Kane said.
After a pro career in the AHL and ECHL, Houle returned to Clarkson in 2003 as an assistant under head coach George Roll. Houle quickly helped the Knights back into contention in the ECAC, as the Knights advanced to the ECAC championship game in 2004 and then won the ECAC title in 2007, as well as an ECAC regular-season title in 2008, with the team advancing to the NCAA tournament in both seasons. In his years as assistant coach, Houle was an integral part of recruiting and developing a great corp of Clarkson All-Americans and professional players, including Steve Zalewski, Grant Clitsome, David Leggio, Nick Dodge, and Shawn Weller.
Houle left Potsdam in 2009 to take over as head coach with the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. After the team folded, he was immediately hired back in the greater Montreal region by the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada where he was named the 2012 coach of the year was a finalist for the award in 2014.
JF and his wife, Mia, have been returning to Potsdam over the last year, as their son Noah is entering his sophomore year at Potsdam, where he is a member of the Bears’ men’s lacrosse team. Their eldest daughter Emma recently graduated from UC Santa Cruz, and they have a seven-year-old daughter, Lucy.
Reid Lesswing and Scott McDonald will be the first head coaches at St. John Fisher.
St. John Fisher has named Reid Lesswing head coach of the men’s hockey team and Scott McDonald will take the helm as head coach of the women’s hockey team.
The university announced the addition of intercollegiate men’s and women’s hockey teams earlier this year broadening its total number of athletic teams competing in the NCAA Division III ranks to 26.
“We are excited to welcome Reid and Scott to our roster of talented and committed coaches at Fisher,” said St. John Fisher VP for enrollment management Jose Perales in a statement. “We are thrilled that they will serve as the inaugural head coaches for our men’s and women’s hockey programs, and look forward what they will bring to the university; their experience and enthusiasm, and most importantly, their support of our student-athletes.”
Lesswing comes to Fisher from Plattsburgh, where he has served as the assistant coach of men’s hockey and operations manager since 2019. Under his leadership, the team finished this last season with a 21-5-2 record.
Prior to his time at Plattsburgh, he was the assistant coach of men’s hockey at Fredonia, Castleton, and for Team South Africa IIHF Division 3. Professionally, he played for the Louisiana Ice Gators in 2014.
A collegiate athlete himself, Lesswing was a member of the Castleton men’s hockey team. He was selected as team captain in his senior year.
He has been recognized with the SUNYAC coaching staff of the year award and most recently, his team ended the season as the USCHO No. 8-ranked team in D-III.
Lesswing is a two-time graduate of Castleton, where he earned a BS in Business Management and an MS in Athletic Administration.
“I am excited to join the St. John Fisher community and begin building a hockey program that aligns with the success that St. John Fisher athletics is known for,” said Lesswing. “To be named the first coach of the men’s varsity hockey team is a tremendous honor for me. I certainly would not be in this position without the support of other coaches that have mentored me throughout my coaching career. I am thankful for this opportunity to develop our players into leaders in the community as well as student-athletes both on and off the ice. I am excited to take on this new challenge and bring St. John Fisher hockey to the spotlight.”
McDonald joins Fisher after three years as the player development coach of the Bishop Kearney Selects girls hockey program. In addition, he is owner/leader of Maverick Hockey Development, where he designs custom hockey development programs for all Rochester, N.Y., area youth hockey organizations.
Prior to his time at Bishop Kearney, McDonald served as the head women’s hockey coach at RIT from 2006 to 2018, where his 12-year overall record was 205-154-29. He led the team to the Division III national championship in 2012.
In addition, the team had four NCAA tournament appearances, and achieved two CHA playoff titles, two ECAC West playoff championships, and three ECAC West regular-season titles. In 2009 and 2011 respectively, McDonald was named conference coach of the year, and in 2011 and 2012, he was national coach of the year runner-up.
Between 2003 and 2006, McDonald served as the assistant coach of the men’s team at RIT. He also served as assistant coach of the men’s hockey team at Utica for one year.
Professionally, McDonald played for the San Angelo Outlaws in San Angelo, Texas, and the IK Viking club in the Swedish Professional League.
McDonald is a graduate of Niagara, where he was a member of the NCAA Division I men’s hockey team.
“I am truly humbled and honored to be the first head coach of the St. John Fisher University women’s hockey program,” said McDonald. “The culture and commitment the athletic department has is second to none. I’m extremely grateful to be joining this staff and begin building our hockey program from the ground up within their standards. Fisher’s strong academic and athletic programs will give us the opportunity to quickly build our program into a perennial contender and challenge teams, not only in the UCHC, but nationally.
“Rochester has an amazing hockey community that is only getting stronger with the addition of both men’s and women’s hockey.”
Saint Michael’s women’s hockey graduate Meghan Sweezey has been named the program’s new head coach, effective July 1.
She succeeds Chris Donovan, who coached the Purple Knights during their first 24 years of varsity play and oversaw the program joining the NCAA Division I NEWHA in 2017-18.
Sweezey previously served as the squad’s top assistant coach and owns Girls 4 Hockey, which she founded in 2016 to continue growing the game.
“I’d like to thank the Saint Michael’s College administration and athletic department for affording me this incredible opportunity,” said Sweezey in a statement. “I’d also like to thank Chris Donovan for his continued support and tireless efforts on behalf of the program over his tenure. Without him, I would not have come to Saint Michael’s as a student-athlete and would not have this opportunity, along with countless others. I am very excited to lead the Purple Knights program and to work in this capacity for my alma mater. While I have worked for the school in other capacities, hockey is near and dear to my heart, and I look forward to giving back to the program, sport, and community that has given me so much.”
Sweezey returned to the women’s hockey program as a volunteer assistant coach in 2013-14 before moving into a role as the top assistant coach the next year, serving in that capacity for four seasons. Sweezey remained with the squad as strength and conditioning coach in 2018-19 before aiding her alma mater as a volunteer assistant coach the past two winters.
For the better part of her coaching tenure, she was also employed as the college’s assistant director of alumni and parent relations (2012-18) before spending two months as the interim assistant director for admissions. Sweezey remains a familiar face on campus through her assistance to alumni relations at events such as reunion.
“It is incredibly special to see our alums go into the world and make an impact,” said Saint Michael’s associate director of athletics Meggan Dulude. “It is even more special when they decide to return to make that impact on current and future Purple Knights. We are thrilled to have Meghan return to Saint Mike’s athletics to lead our women’s ice hockey program. The program and the NEWHA have grown significantly in the last few years, and we believe Meghan has the skillset, experience, and coaching philosophy to move us forward.”
Sweezey, who started a skills clinic in Reading, Mass., in 2012 for girls between the ages of five and 14, founded Girls 4 Hockey in the Burlington, Vt., area four years later, with the goal of engaging players ages four through adult in skills-based programming, focusing primarily on female player development. Within seven years, G4H grew from one program serving eight individuals into 14 programs serving 620 individuals by 2023. Sweezey and her G4H coaches work with an additional 300 players through private skills clinics. She oversees all aspects of G4H, not only coaching and developing practice plans but recruiting and training an all-female coaching staff, performing marketing and advertising, managing finances, and collaborating with local youth hockey organizations on creative initiatives that continue growing the game.
For the past several years, Sweezey has worked with the Vermont Shamrocks AAA Select Hockey program, assisting spring team organization, tryout facilitation and skill development as well as serving as a bench coach for 10U and 12U spring tournament teams for the past two seasons. Sweezey previously coached girls at the high school level in her native Massachusetts. She was the junior varsity head coach at Reading Memorial High School in 2011-12, which was also her second year as a varsity assistant at the school. In 2010, Sweezey was the volunteer head coach of Reading Youth Hockey’s U19 JV squad. During three summers (2008-10), Sweezey supervised and coached girls ages 14 to 17 at the USA Hockey New England District Development Camp.
Sweezey gained additional leadership experience beyond the rink as the events manager for Special Olympics Vermont between 2018 and 2020, managing all major fundraising events, including its marquee event, the Penguin Plunge, which raises nearly 40% of SOVT’s annual operating budget. As the head of the 2020 Penguin Plunge, Sweezey helped SOVT set a since-broken fundraising record while attracting nearly 1,400 participants.
A senior captain for Saint Michael’s in 2009-10 after twice serving as an alternate captain, Sweezey graduated tied for first in program history in career games (103), power-play goals (12) and short-handed goals (3). She was also third in points (71), tied for third in assists (39) and fourth in goals (32). Sweezey landed on the ECAC East all-academic team each of her final two seasons. After earning bachelor’s degrees in psychology and English, Sweezey completed a master of education in school counseling at Suffolk in 2012.
The NHL’s Minnesota Wild has announced that Mike Snee has been hired as vice president of the Minnesota Wild Foundation and community relations, a newly created position.
One of the original staff hired in 1998, Snee will return on June 17 to align and guide the strategic direction of the two entities that embody the Wild’s mission to “create a Greater State of Hockey.”
Snee has achieved great success driving community engagement and collaboration at all levels of hockey, energized by a deep-rooted passion for growing the game. During his 12-year tenure as executive director of College Hockey Inc., Snee designed and implemented a strategic plan that resulted in several new hockey programs at NCAA schools, a Canadian broadcasting rights agreement and a significant increase in revenue.
Previously, Snee was impactful as the executive director of Minnesota Hockey, receiving the 2013 Minnesota Hockey President’s Award for exemplary service to youth hockey in the state. He also accepted the 2019 Oscar Almquist Award for his contributions to the success of high school hockey in Minnesota.
“Mike’s enthusiasm for strengthening the hockey community and growing our sport is unparalleled,” said Matt Majka, CEO of Minnesota Sports & Entertainment, parent company of the Wild, in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome Mike back to the Wild. His strong background and ability to lead and create connection across all levels of the game will be invaluable as we continue to focus on our community impact, especially within hockey in Minnesota.”
In his new role, Snee will work to expand the reach and impact of the Wild Foundation and community relations efforts that collectively assist hundreds of organizations and thousands of people each year. In particular, he will focus on implementing new initiatives within the Wild Foundation and raising charitable funds that drive the growth and success of nonprofit youth hockey associations and high school hockey teams throughout Minnesota.
“I am grateful to the Minnesota Wild for creating this opportunity and honored that they have selected me to lead it,” said Snee. “There is nowhere in North America where hockey is as accessible, affordable, meaningful, and successful as it is throughout Minnesota. I look forward to waking up every day to help make something that is already spectacular even better.”
Snee is a longtime member of the USA Hockey Congress, providing guidance and expertise to the national governing body for ice hockey in the United States. The St. Thomas graduate also serves on the boards of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the Minneapolis Youth Hockey Association and has coached youth hockey and baseball for over 20 years.
Prior to his nine-year stint in sales and sponsorship for the Wild, he worked with the Minnesota North Stars and Minnesota Moose hockey teams.
Alaska Anchorage, Dartmouth, Northeastern, and Providence will make their way to Thompson Arena for the 35th annual Ledyard Classic.
