Dartmouth announced Friday that Laura Schuler, currently the head coach of the Canadian national women’s team, has been named head coach of the Big Green women’s squad.
Schuler is the program’s ninth head coach in nearly four decades, taking over for Mark Hudak, who was at the helm for 13 seasons.
“I am extremely honored and excited to be a part of the Dartmouth athletics family,” said Schuler in a statement. “Dartmouth women’s hockey has had a strong tradition of excellence on the ice, in the classroom and within the community, and I am excited to continue to build on that excellence.”
Schuler’s leadership of the 2015-16 Canadian national women’s team is not her first assignment on the international level. She was a development camp coach for Hockey Canada (2008-13), an assistant with the national women’s team (2010-11), head coach of the U22 national women’s team (2011-12), assistant of the U18 national team (2012-13) and head coach of the U18 national team (2013-14).
Prior to that, Schuler spent seven years (2008-15) as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Minnesota-Duluth, capturing a national championship in 2010.
She previously served as head coach at her alma mater, Northeastern (2004-08) and at Massachusetts-Boston (2001-04). She was inducted into the Northeastern Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Schuler graduated from Northeastern in 1994 with a degree in cardiovascular heath and exercise, serving as team captain her senior year.
“I am incredibly excited to have Laura take over the reins of the Dartmouth women’s hockey team,” added Dartmouth director of athletics and recreation Harry Sheehy said. “She brings a rich background, from a world-class playing experience to assistant and head coaching at the collegiate and international levels. Her passion for teaching the game was evident to all who spent time with her. We welcome Laura and her wife Jessi to our athletics department and the Dartmouth community at large.”
Schuler won three gold medals with Canada’s national women’s team at the IIHF World Women’s Championship (1990, 1992, 1997), two golds at the Pacific Rim Championships (1995, 1996) and two golds and a silver at the Three Nations Cup (1996, 1997, 1999). She also won a silver medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games.
