Minnesota Duluth women’s coach Maura Crowell has signed a three-year contract extension that will keep her on staff through the 2021-22 season.
In just two seasons at UMD, Crowell has compiled an overall record of 40-28-6, including a WCHA postseason mark of 5-2.
“I am thrilled to extend my contract through 2021-2022 at the University of Minnesota Duluth,” said Crowell in a statement. “I appreciate Chancellor Black and Athletic Director Josh Berlo’s clear commitment to the future of our program. We are proud of all that our student-athletes have accomplished both on and off the ice the past two seasons, but we also know it is just the start. Our return to the national tournament last spring was a significant step in the right direction and I firmly believe we have the pieces in place to vie for national prominence year in and year out moving forward.”
For her efforts during the 2016-17 season, Crowell was named the USCHO.com Division I Women’s Coach of the Year, as well as the CCM/AHCA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey Coach of the Year Award for 2017.
Crowell was also crowned the 2016-17 WCHA Coach of the Year after she guided UMD to its biggest turnaround in program history with 25-7-5 overall record and the Bulldogs first NCAA quarterfinal round playoff game at home since 2010.
On Crowell’s watch, the Bulldogs earned 19 WCHA wins in 2016-17, the program’s highest since the 2010-11 season, and finished third in the ultra-competitive WCHA. In addition to landing in fifth in both national final season polls, UMD had a Patty Kazmaier Top-3 Finalist, two All-Americans, and a run on league awards last season, including 2016-17 WCHA Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and WCHA Student Athlete of the Year.
The Bulldogs had five players placed on All-WCHA Teams, and tacked on a program-record 10 WCHA Scholar Athletes in 2016-17, as well as a program-high 16 WCHA All-Academic Team members.
