University of Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh announced Thursday that three-time national coach of the year Mike Hastings will assume the position of head coach for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team.
Hastings’ hiring comes after former men’s hockey head coach, Tony Granato was fired March 6, following the Badgers exit from the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.
“I am incredibly excited about Mike Hastings becoming our men’s hockey coach,” McIntosh said in the release. “He has a tremendous history of success at Minnesota State and, before that, with the Omaha Lancers. In my conversations with Mike, it is clear that he shares the values we have at Wisconsin and I know he is committed to the academic achievement and personal growth of our student-athletes. He is a great fit for our athletic department and I can’t wait for him to get started.”
Before coming to Wisconsin, Hastings served as the head coach at Minnesota State University. Prior to Hastings arrival at MSU, the men’s hockey program only had one winning season in the past nine years. Hastings turned the program around, and by the end of his tenure, the Mavericks had eight NCAA tournament appearances, including a NCAA final appearance in 2022.
Hasting’s MSU run also includes six regular-season conference titles, winning the CCHA in 2022 and 2023, with four appearances in the WCHA conference. With Hastings as head coach, Minnesota State also won the Mason Cup as CCHA tourney champions twice in 2022 and 2023 and two Broadmoor Trophies as WCHA tournament winners in 2014 and 2015.
Hastings currently ranks as the leader in win percentage nationwide, with the Mavericks having a .719 win percentage and 299-109-25 record during his 11 years at the helm. These stats also mark Hastings as having the third-highest win percentage in NCAA men’s hockey history.
Hastings also served as head coach and general manager of USHL’s Omaha Lancers for 14 seasons from 1994-2008. During his time as head coach, the team won three Anderson Cups as regular-season champions and three Clark Cups as playoff winners.
Hastings is a three-time Spencer Penrose Award winner as NCAA coach of the year and a three-time WCHA Coach of the Year. He was also named CCHA Coach of the Year in 2022. From his time in the USHL, Hastings also possess two USHL Coach of the Year awards, as well as five USHL General Manager of the Year awards.
Hastings’ accolades extend beyond the collegiate realm. At the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, Team USA won a silver medal under Hastings’ leadership. Hastings was also the assistant coach for the 2022 U.S. Olympic Team and the 2022 U.S. National Team at the world championship.
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Hastings graduated from St. Cloud State where he skated for two seasons as a defenseman before an injury ended his playing career.
“Wisconsin is one of college hockey’s great programs and I am both thrilled and humbled to have this opportunity,” Hastings said in the press release. “I want to thank Chris McIntosh for his belief in me. Badger hockey has a lot going for it – great alums, fans, facilities, tradition, a terrific campus and city. I can’t wait to get to Madison and start working with our team on building a winning culture on and off the ice.”
