Chris Connolly, who served as a University of Minnesota Duluth Women's Hockey assistant coach, has resigned to take advantage of a career opportunity outside of hockey.

"The experience to grow both personally and professionally in my role as an assistant UMD women's hockey coach has been invaluable and I will forever be a Bulldog," said Connolly.  "A great opportunity outside of hockey recently presented itself and will allow me to spend more time with my young family."

A graduate of Duluth Marshall High School, Connolly came to the Bulldogs with an extensive hockey resume, including a four-year professional hockey career that spanned Finland, Sweden and Germany.  Most recently a member of the Iserlohn Roosters of the German Hockey League (DEL) from 2013-16, Connolly also played for Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) in 2014.   A four-year letterwinner at Boston University from 2008-12, Connolly won a NCAA national title with the Terriers in 2009.  The first two-year captain in 2011-12, Connolly was a Hockey East All-Second Team selection and Hockey East's Best Defensive Forward.  

Connolly added: "I have thoroughly enjoyed, and am grateful for the opportunity given to me by the University of Minnesota Duluth, head coach Maura Crowell, the entire women's hockey staff, the athletic department, and especially the Bulldog women's hockey student-athletes. I wish the university, Bulldog athletics and the women's hockey program great success in the future and I look forward to following their journey."

"I have a lot of respect for Chris and wish him well as he steps away from the game of hockey," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell.  "I appreciate all of the work and effort that he put into the women's hockey program here at UMD and want to thank him on behalf of the entire staff and team."

With Connolly on board, UMD posted its biggest turnaround in program history in 2016-17, a 25-7-5 overall record and the Bulldogs first NCAA Quarterfinal game at home since 2010.

UMD earned 19 WCHA wins in 2016-17 and finished third in the ultra-competitive WCHA (and just three points out of second place).  Connolly also helped UMD back into the national rankings, and the Bulldogs reached as a high as second in both the USCHO.com and USA TODAY/ USA Hockey Magazine national polls for six weeks before resting in fifth in both final season polls.  The Bulldogs were also runners-up in the 2017 WCHA Final Face-Off tournament to the University of Wisconsin, UMD's first trip back to the tournament's final game since the 2012 season.  Connolly helped oversee two All-Americans in the 2016-17 season (Stalder and Sidney Morin), as well as run on league awards, including 2016-17 Coach of the Year (Crowell), 2016-17 WCHA Player of the Year (Stalder), Defensive Player of the Year (Morin) and WCHA Student Athlete of the Year (Stalder).