Don Lucia

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Don Lucia
Born (1958-08-20) August 20, 1958 (age 65)
Grand Rapids, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Defenseman
Played for Notre Dame
NHL Draft 168th overall, 1978
Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career

1977–1981

Coaching career
Current position
TitleCommissioner
ConferenceCCHA
Biographical details
Alma materUniversity of Notre Dame
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1987–1993Alaska–Fairbanks
1993–1999Colorado College
1999–2018Minnesota
Head coaching record
Overall722–413–110 (.624)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
Records
  • Most Wins in Minnesota Hockey History (457)

Don Lucia (born August 20, 1958) is an American former ice hockey head coach, who was named as inaugural commissioner of the second Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) on June 17, 2020. The CCHA, which is set to start play in the 2021–22 season, is a revival of an NCAA Division I men's hockey conference whose original version operated from 1971 to 2013 before folding in the wake of massive conference realignment in the sport.[1]

Coaching career

Lucia is best known for his 19-season tenure as head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's hockey team (1999–2018).[2] He twice led the Golden Gophers to the NCAA national championship title, in 2002 and 2003.[3] Under Lucia, the Golden Gophers won four MacNaughton Cups (awarded to the WCHA's regular season champion), the Broadmoor Trophy three times (awarded to the WCHA playoff champion),[2] and the Big Ten regular season championship in each of that league's first four seasons. He coached one Hobey Baker Award winner, Jordan Leopold.[4] He is one of 10 coaches to record more than 600 NCAA men's ice hockey wins, and one of four to win national titles in consecutive years.[5] Lucia graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1981, where he played defense for the school's hockey team.[2][5]

During the 2008–2009 season, Lucia was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, but only missed four games while battling the autoimmune disease. This illness, combined with a growing number of college hockey players taking their talents to the NHL, led Lucia's Gophers to a 17–18–2 record during the 2009–2010 season. That season was Lucia's only year with a losing record with the Gophers, and his first since coaching Alaska-Fairbanks in the 1991–1992 season.[5]

The Gophers eventually returned to the top of the WCHA, winning back-to-back conference titles in 2012 and 2013. In the summer of 2013 Minnesota joined with 5 other schools to form the Big Ten's ice hockey division. The Gophers won the inaugural regular season title and advanced all the way to the National Championship game where they fell to Union.[6] Lucia won the first 4 Big Ten titles, but could only garner 1 conference tournament championship (2015) and despite the success in the Big Ten, Minnesota was not considered a contender for the NCAA title most years.

Minnesota finished 5th in 2018 and with many of the fans unhappy with the direction of the program, Lucia resigned after 19 years behind the bench.[7]

Personal life

Lucia and his wife Joyce have four children.[8]

Both his sons were drafted in the NHL Entry Draft. Tony was selected in the 6th round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks and Mario was selected in the 2nd round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild.[9]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Alaska–Fairbanks Nanooks (GWHC) (1987–1988)
1987-88 Alaska–Fairbanks 21–10–2 5–3–0 1st
Alaska–Fairbanks Nanooks (Independent) (1988–1993)
1988-89 Alaska–Fairbanks 21–12–3
1989-90 Alaska–Fairbanks 10–20–9
1990-91 Alaska–Fairbanks 17–16–2
1991-92 Alaska–Fairbanks 7–27–1
1992-93 Alaska–Fairbanks 23–12–2
Alaska–Fairbanks: 99–97–19
Colorado College Tigers (WCHA) (1993–1999)
1993-94 Colorado College 23–11–5 18–9–5 1st WCHA first round
1994-95 Colorado College 30–12–1 22–9–1 1st NCAA West Regional semifinals
1995-96 Colorado College 33–5–4 26–2–4 1st NCAA runner-up
1996-97 Colorado College 25–15–4 17–11–4 T-4th NCAA Frozen Four
1997-98 Colorado College 26–13–3 16–10–2 3rd NCAA East Regional semifinals
1998-99 Colorado College 29–12–1 20–8–0 2nd NCAA East Regional semifinals
Colorado College: 166–68–18 119–49–16
Minnesota Golden Gophers (WCHA) (1999–2013)
1999-00 Minnesota 20–19–2 13–13–2 6th WCHA third-place game (loss)
2000-01 Minnesota 27–13–2 18–8–2 3rd NCAA East Regional Quarterfinals
2001-02 Minnesota 32–8–4 18–7–3 3rd NCAA national champion
2002-03 Minnesota 28–8–9 15–6–7 T-2nd NCAA national champion
2003-04 Minnesota 27–14–3 15–12–1 T-4th NCAA Midwest Regional Final
2004-05 Minnesota 28–15–1 17–10–1 T-3rd NCAA Frozen Four
2005-06 Minnesota 27–9–5 20–5–3 1st NCAA West Regional semifinals
2006-07 Minnesota 31–10–3 18–7–3 1st NCAA West Regional Final
2007-08 Minnesota 19–17–9 9–12–7 7th NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals
2008-09 Minnesota 17–13–7 12–11–5 5th WCHA Quarterfinal
2009-10 Minnesota 18–19–2 12–14–2 7th WCHA first round
2010-11 Minnesota 16–14–6 13–10–5 5th WCHA first round
2011-12 Minnesota 28–14–1 20–8–0 1st NCAA Frozen Four
2012-13 Minnesota 26–9–5 16–7–5 T-1st NCAA West Regional semifinals
Minnesota: 344–182–59 206–118–39
Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten) (2013–2018)
2013-14 Minnesota 28–7–6 14–3–3 1st NCAA runner-up
2014-15 Minnesota 23–13–3 12–5–3 1st NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals
2015-16 Minnesota 20–17–0 14–6–0 1st Big Ten Runner-Up
2016-17 Minnesota 23–12–3 14–5–1 1st NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals
2017-18 Minnesota 19–17–2 10–12–2 5th
Minnesota: 113–66–14 64–31–9
Total: 722–413–110 (.624)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ex-Minnesota coach Don Lucia picked to run new CCHA hockey league". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Don Lucia Bio". Gopher Sports.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-15. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  3. ^ "Isles GM Rips Lucia". College Hockey News.com. 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  4. ^ "Jordan Leopold's bio". Vintage Minnesota Hockey.com. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  5. ^ a b c Borzi, Pat. "Once-Embattled Coach Has Gophers Golden Again." New York Times 8 Feb. 2013: B11(L). Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
  6. ^ "Welcome to collegehockeystats.net".
  7. ^ Kotz, Pete (March 22, 2018). "How Don Lucia killed the Minnesota Gopher's hockey dynasty". City Pages. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018.
  8. ^ "SURVIVING STORMY DAYS; Don Lucia's charmed life hit a rough spell over the past couple of years, particularly when the Gophers hockey coach was hit with a rare disease that affected his even-keeled personality." Star Tribune [Minneapolis, MN] 19 Dec. 2010: 1C. Business Insights: Essentials. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
  9. ^ "Tony Lucia". Elite Prospects.

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Spencer Penrose Award
1993–94
Succeeded by
Preceded by WCHA Coach of the Year
1993–94
1995–96
2005–06 (with Bob Motzko)
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Award Created
Big Ten Coach of the Year
2013–14
Succeeded by