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St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey

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St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey
Current season
St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies athletic logo
UniversityUniversity of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
ConferenceCCHA
First season1920–21
Head coachEnrico Blasi
4th season, 29–75–5 (.289)
Assistant coaches
ArenaSt. Thomas Ice Arena
Saint Paul, Minnesota
ColorsPurple and gray[1]
   
NCAA Tournament Frozen Four
DIII: 2000, 2005
NCAA Tournament appearances
DIII: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2020
Conference Tournament championships
MIAC: 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2020
Conference regular season championships
MIAC: 1923, 1934, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1974, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018

The St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey team represents the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) in NCAA Division I ice hockey.

History

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St. Thomas is one of the oldest ice hockey programs in the nation, predating even Minnesota, having played their first varsity game in the 1920–21 season. That year St. Thomas, along with six other small Minnesota colleges, formed the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and began playing one another in many sports. Over the course of the first sixty five years, St. Thomas was one of the better teams in the conference but it became the leading program once Terry Skrypek arrived in 1987. In his 23 years with the program, Skrypek won 13 conference championships, 9 conference tournament titles and reached the NCAA Division III championship game twice.[2]

In 2019 the MIAC took the unprecedented step of removing St. Thomas from its membership because of concerns about “athletic competitive parity.”[3] Because the removal affected all sports and was effective at the end of the 2020–21 season, St. Thomas had time to decide what it would do next. The men's ice hockey program was given the green light to jump directly to the Division I level in July 2020.[4] Before the end of the month, the seven teams who had previously announced their intention to restart the CCHA with the 2021–22 season voted unanimously to accept the Tommies as the eighth member of the conference.[5]

In 2023, St. Thomas announced plans for the new Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, with the team planned to begin playing its home games there in the fall of 2025.[6]

On May 15, 2024, St. Thomas announced plans to depart the CCHA for the NCHC beginning in 2026-27.[7]

Season-by-season results

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Source:[2]

Head coaches

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As of completion of the 2023–24 season

Tenure Coach Years Record Pct.
1920–1921 Harold Dudley 1 6–1–0 .857
1921–1923, 1925–1926 Joe Brandy 3 19–9–0 .679
1923–1924 Dave Hayes 1 8–2–0 .800
1924–1925 Bill Houle 1 1–0–1 .750
1926–1927 Willard Faulk 1 5–9–0 .357
1927–1928 John O'Halloran 1 4–5–3 .458
1928–1930 Matt Coogan 2 15–13–0 .536
1930–1932 Frank Penas 2 7–7–4 .500
1932–1933 Joe Boland 1 7–3–0 .700
1933–1935 Frank Halder 2 6–6–1 .500
1935–1937 Frank Klingberg 2 12–10–3 .540
1937–1939 Leo McGuire 2 13–7–2 .636
1939–1942 Wee Walsh 3 18–3–3 .813
1946–1948 Tom Cunningham 2 20–9–0 .690
1948–1951, 1952–1955 Bill Funk 6 66–19–11 .745
1951–1952 Norm Robertson 1 7–3–0 .700
1955–1959 Ken Staples 4 38–19–0 .667
1959–1962 Don Saatzer 3 19–14–0 .576
1962–1963 Tom Martinson 1 11–4–1 .719
1963–1970 Joe Flood 7 57–53–4 .518
1970–1982 Gus Schwartz 12 150–150–5 .500
1982–1987 Terry Abram 5 105–45–2 .697
1987–2010 Terry Skrypek 23 415–194–45 .669
2010–2021 Jeff Boeser 11 160–81–33 .644
2021–Present Enrico Blasi 3 29–75–5 .289
Totals 26 coaches 100 Seasons 1198–741–123 .611

Current roster

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As of August 31, 2024.[8]

No. S/P/C Player Class Pos Height Weight DoB Hometown Previous team NHL rights
3 Minnesota Lucas Wahlin Junior F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 2001-05-03 Woodbury, Minnesota Lincoln (NAHL)
4 Colorado Cole Miller Sophomore D 5' 11" (1.8 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 2002-08-27 Littleton, Colorado Sioux Falls (USHL)
5 Minnesota Matthew Gleason Senior F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 2001-09-20 Saint Paul, Minnesota Colorado College (NCHC)
6 Minnesota Jake Ratzlaff Junior D 6' 2" (1.88 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 2002-06-23 Rosemount, Minnesota Madison (USHL)
7 Minnesota Chase Foley Senior D 5' 10" (1.78 m) 167 lb (76 kg) 2000-02-17 Mendota Heights, Minnesota Colorado College (NCHC)
8 British Columbia Caige Sterzer Junior F 6' 5" (1.96 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 2000-08-20 Kimberley, British Columbia Lindenwood (NCAA)
9 Minnesota Casy Laylin Freshman F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 2004-01-09 St. Michael, Minnesota Salmon Arm (BCHL)
10 Minnesota Mason Poolman Sophomore D 6' 1" (1.85 m) 189 lb (86 kg) 2002-01-31 East Grand Forks, Minnesota Penticton (BCHL)
11 Minnesota Ryan O'Neill Junior F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 2001-02-25 Roseville, Minnesota St. Cloud (NAHL)
12 Sweden Alexander Tell Freshman F 6' 0" (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 2004-03-18 Linköping, Sweden Linköping J20 (J20 Nationell)
13 Minnesota Ray Christy Graduate F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1999-09-15 St. Paul, Minnesota Colorado College (NCHC)
14 Ohio Jase Sofo Sophomore D 6' 4" (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 2002-06-25 Sylvania, Ohio Amarillo (NAHL)
15 Ontario Quinton Pepper Junior F 6' 3" (1.91 m) 187 lb (85 kg) 2002-01-31 London, Ontario Steinbach (MJHL)
16 Minnesota Ethan Elias Freshman D 5' 8" (1.73 m) 187 lb (85 kg) 2003-04-03 Maple Grove, Minnesota Madison (USHL)
17 Minnesota Jake Braccini Junior F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 192 lb (87 kg) 2001-07-02 Hanover, Minnesota Muskegon (USHL)
18 Minnesota Ethan Gauer Graduate D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1999-12-23 Farmington, Minnesota Bemidji State (WCHA)
19 Minnesota Luc Laylin Junior F 5' 8" (1.73 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 2001-12-30 St. Michael, Minnesota Prince George (BCHL)
20 Minnesota Cooper Gay Junior F 6' 4" (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 2002-03-15 Edina, Minnesota Fargo (USHL)
21 Minnesota Carson Peters Junior D 6' 3" (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 2002-10-28 Medina, Minnesota Cedar Rapids (USHL)
24 Minnesota Grant Docter Senior D 5' 10" (1.78 m) 174 lb (79 kg) 2000-12-06 Golden Valley, Minnesota Michigan Tech (CCHA)
25 Minnesota Liam Malmquist Senior F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 2000-10-08 Edina, Minnesota Wisconsin (Big Ten)
26 Minnesota Chase Cheslock Sophomore D 6' 3" (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 2004-10-25 Rogers, Minnesota Omaha (USHL) NJD, 154th overall 2023
27 Minnesota Ryder Donovan Graduate F 6' 3" (1.91 m) 203 lb (92 kg) 2000-10-04 Duluth, Minnesota Wisconsin (Big Ten) VGK, 110th overall 2019
28 Minnesota Nick Mikan Freshman F 6' 4" (1.93 m) 229 lb (104 kg) 2004-03-31 Edina, Minnesota Vernon (NAHL)
29 Minnesota J. D. Metz Sophomore F/D 6' 2" (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 2002-10-24 Mahtomedi, Minnesota New Mexico (NAHL)
30 Minnesota Jake Sibell Senior G 6' 2" (1.88 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 2000-01-03 Isanti, Minnesota Niagara (AHA)
31 British Columbia Aaron Trotter Junior G 6' 2" (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 2001-04-07 Victoria, British Columbia Prince George (BCHL)
39 Alberta Maximilian Prazma Sophomore G 6' 4" (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 2002-01-12 Calgary, Alberta Calgary (AJHL)
42 Sweden Tobias Abrahamsson Sophomore D 6' 4" (1.93 m) 214 lb (97 kg) 2003-08-30 Jönköping, Sweden HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)

Awards and honors

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CCHA

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Individual awards

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All-conference teams

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Second Team All-CCHA

St. Thomas has yet to have an alumnus reach the NHL.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Athletic Brand Standards – The University of St. Thomas". March 3, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "St. Thomas Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  3. ^ "D-III Powerhouse St. Thomas Is Getting Kicked Out of Its Conference Because It's Too Good at Sports". Sports Illustrated. May 22, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  4. ^ "At the rink, it's 'Tommie Time,' as St. Thomas moves hockey programs to Division I". Duluth News Tribune. July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  5. ^ "St. Thomas men's team moves to Division I, will join new CCHA for 2021-22 season". USCHO.com. July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  6. ^ Wald, Jeff (17 January 2023). "St. Thomas announces plans for hockey, basketball arena starting in 2025". FOX 9. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  7. ^ "St. Thomas men's hockey to join the NCHC". The University of St. Thomas. 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
  8. ^ "2024-25 Men's Hockey Roster". St. Thomas Tommies. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  9. ^ "Alumni report for U. of St. Thomas". Hockey DB. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
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