Brock Sheahan will take over as the new head coach of the Fighting Irish in 2025-26 following Jeff Jackson's retirement after 20 years behind the bench
Former Chicago Steel head coach Brock Sheahan continues to climb the coaching ladder and will take over as the new head coach for Notre Dame after the upcoming 2024-25 season. Current Fighting Irish head coach Jeff Jackson is set to retire after 20 years behind the bench.
“The opportunity to lead the Notre Dame Hockey program is a dream come true for me and my family,” Sheahan said in a statement. “I will be forever grateful to Father Bob Dowd, John Veihmeyer, Jack Brennan, Pete Bevacqua, and the University of Notre Dame for this responsibility.
“I am motivated to lead the program forward, with the intention of winning conference and national championships, while developing our student-athletes to the highest level, as both people and hockey players. The mentorship, influence, and friendship from Jeff Jackson, Paul Pooley, and Andy Slaggert has made me into the person and coach I am today. I am especially thankful for the support of Coach Jackson and all the guidance he has provided me over the years. He has made Notre Dame hockey what it is today and I am excited to work with him this season to achieve our goal of bringing Notre Dame Hockey its first national championship.”
Sheahan, 40, returned to Jackson's staff as an associate head coach this past season after previously serving as an assistant coach during the 2013-14 campaign. After five years with the College of Holy Cross as an assistant coach/associate head coach, Sheahan was named associate head coach for the USHL's Chicago Steel ahead of the 2018-19 season.
He was promoted to head coach during the 2019-20 season. He guided the Steel to back-to-back Anderson Cup Trophies, given to the USHL's regular-season champion, culminating with a Clark Cup championship in 2020-21. As head coach, Sheahan posted a 100-27-12-3 record during the regular season and an 8-3 record in the postseason.
Following the 2021-22 season, Sheahan accepted the position of head coach for the AHL's Chicago Wolves, where he led the Wolves to a 35-29-5 regular season record in his only season behind the bench.
Prior to his coaching career, Sheahan spent four years in South Bend as a defenseman for the Fighting Irish. In his senior season, he served as an alternate captain. Professionally, Sheahan played for the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers, Cincinnati Cyclones, Ontario Reign, the AHL's Houston Aeros, and SC Riessersee in Germany.