Signs five-year contract
HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Suzanne Sanregret announced Thursday (May 22) that Bill Muckalt has been named the head hockey coach. Muckalt is the 23rd head coach in program history and returns to Tech after one season as head coach of Lindenwood University.
Muckalt was an assistant coach for the Huskies from 2011-15. He has signed a five-year contract to lead the Black and Gold.
“I’m excited to welcome Bill Muckalt as the next leader of our historic program,” Sanregret said. “He brings an elite hockey resume and experience at every level of the game. Bill understands the high expectations of our university, alumni, and community, and he has a clear understanding of today’s college hockey landscape. I look forward to working with him to build a strong vision and plan that will bring more championships back to Houghton.”
“I want to thank President Koubek and Suzanne Sanregret for this exciting opportunity to come back to Houghton,” Muckalt said. “This is a great hockey community and world-class university. I’m looking forward to getting to know our student-athletes and building relationships with them to have a successful season in the CCHA. My ultimate goal is to bring home the MacNaughton Cup and compete in the NCAA Tournament.”
At Lindenwood in 2024-25, Muckalt led the Lions to their most wins in their three-year NCAA Division I history with key victories over Notre Dame, Omaha, and Wisconsin. Prior to getting hired at Lindenwood, Muckalt was the associate head coach at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, from 2017-23.
In his six seasons at Michigan, Muckalt helped 20 players get drafted into the NHL and was the Wolverines’ lead recruiter. The Wolverines won Big Ten Tournament Championships in 2022 and 2023 and went to four NCAA Tournaments, including the Frozen Four in 2018, 2022 and 2023.
Prior to his time at Michigan, Muckalt was the general manager and head coach of Tri-City Storm of the USHL from 2015-17. The Storm won the first Clark Cup in franchise history during the 2015-16 season, and Muckalt became just the fifth coach in Tier-1 history of the USHL to win a championship in his first season.
As an assistant coach at Michigan Tech, Muckalt helped lead the Huskies to a No. 1 ranking early in the 2014-15 season for the first time since 1976. In 2012, Tech won the Great Lakes Invitational for the first time since 1980 and earned an at-large bid to the 2015 NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1981. Eight Huskies who Muckalt coached during his first stint in Houghton signed NHL contracts.
As a player at Michigan, Muckalt won a pair of NCAA National Championships with the Wolverines in 1996 and 1998. In 1998, he was named an NCAA West First Team All-American, All-CCHA First Team, and team assistant captain. He received his bachelor’s degree in sports management and communications. Muckalt spent five years in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and Minnesota Wild, registering 97 career points on 40 goals and 57 assists. He retired as a player in 2004 after 256 career NHL games.
Muckalt replaces Joe Shawhan, who has led the Huskies since May 2017. In eight seasons, Shawhan went 154-120-29.
“Joe Shawhan was deeply committed to the success of our hockey program, fostering both athletic and academic excellence, and I thank him for working tirelessly to fulfill the mission of our athletic department and university,” Sanregret said.
Michigan Tech will hold a press conference to welcome Coach Muckalt on Tuesday, May 27.