Minneapolis, MN- The five-time National Champion Golden Gophers have agreed to mutually part ways after eight seasons with the three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year Bob Motzko. Motzko, who also served as the United States World Juniors coach this year, is within the top 25 of the most winningest head coaches in college hockey history. "I want to thank Bob for leading our team for the last eight seasons,” said Minnesota Director of Athletics Mark Coyle. “In addition to winning Big Ten titles, the team advanced to the Men's Frozen Four twice and played in the national championship game in 2023.” Minnesota’s season did not go as planned. With strong names in Brodie Zeimer, LJ Mooney, Luke Mittelstadt, and others, they still found themselves at an overall 11-22-3 record alongside a 7-15-2 result from the Big Ten, finishing sixth of the seven teams, only ahead of the struggling Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. In the preseason USCHO National poll, Minnesota was picked eighth in the entire country. Unfortunately, their first ten games were against either ranked opponents or ones receiving votes on the edge of the poll. The Golden Gophers couldn’t get out of the hole after starting 2-7-1. Coyle states, “We will immediately begin a nationwide search for our next head coach." The Gophers will look to get back to their golden pedigree, with their most recent national championship coming on the tail end of a back-to-back under Don Lucia in 2003. It has been quite the transition in Minneapolis, as the historic Minnesota Golden Gophers Women’s program let go of Head Coach Brad Frost after 19 seasons and 4 national titles.
