Gophers sign men's hockey coach Bob Motzko to 2-year extension
Bob Motzko talks about the Gophers facing St. Cloud State this weekend and visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame on New Year's Eve.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota announced Wednesday night it has signed men’s hockey coach Bob Motzko to a two-year extension.
The move puts Motzko under contract with the Gophers through the 2027-28 season. Minnesota started the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the country and is 6-4-2, and 2-3-1 in Big Ten play entering this weekend’s series against Michigan State.
"I am grateful to Mark Coyle and the rest of the Athletics administration for believing in me and our staff and our leadership of Gopher Hockey," Motzko said in a statement. "It has been exciting to be a part of our success and I am so appreciative of the incredible support we receive from our alumni, our students and all our fans. We have a tremendous staff and group of young men on this team, and I look forward to continuing to compete for championships with them."
Motzko came to the Gophers before the 2018-19 season, replacing long-time coach Don Lucia. He’s 119-64-14 with the Gophers and has led Minnesota to consecutive NCAA Frozen Four appearances. He’s a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year after winning two straight Big Ten regular season titles, and a tournament title in 2021.
"Bob has been a tremendous leader of our men's hockey program," Athletic Director Mark Coyle said in a statement. "His ability to build a culture of success with our staff and student-athletes has led to achievements on the ice and for our team academically and socially. I am thrilled to have Bob continue to lead our men's hockey program into the future."
Motzko and the Gophers are 6-3 in the NCAA Tournament, and got to the 2023 national title game before falling to Quinnipiac 3-2 in overtime.