Brett Larson, who spent six successful seasons -- in two separate tours of duty -- serving as a University of Minnesota Duluth assistant men's hockey coach, has left the Bulldog program to take over the head coaching duties at St. Cloud State University.
"It's always been a dream of mine to be a head coach at this level, yet at the same time it's really hard to leave the program that I love," said Larson. "The two national championships are certainly something I'll always cherish, but what I'm going to miss most about UMD is the great people I've had the chance to coach and work with."
During Larson's tenure at UMD (2008-2011 and 2015-18), the Bulldogs rolled up a 142-79-30 overall record (for a .625 winning percentage), captured the school's only two NCAA national championships (2011 and 2018), made five NCAA Tournament appearances (2008, 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2017), and laid claim to one National Collegiate Hockey Conference playoff title (2017) and another Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff crown (2009) while qualifying for the WCHA Final Five/NCHC Frozen Four tournament six times. He also coached and/or recruited one Hobey Baker Award Memorial Award winner, six All-Americans, 13 future NHLers and one 2014 U.S. Olympian.
In late May 2011, Larson was appointed the head coach and general manager for the Sioux City Musketeers and in the first of his two seasons with that United States Hockey League franchise he directed them to a berth in the league playoffs. Larson, who served as the head coach for gold medal-winning Team USA at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge, returned to the collegiate ranks in 2013 when he signed on as Ohio State University's associate head coach. He worked for two winters under Steve Rohlik, his former Bulldog assistant coaching colleague, for Buckeye clubs that went 32-33-8 overall.
A Duluth native and 1991 Denfeld High School graduate, Larson patrolled the Bulldog blue line for four seasons, racking up 24 goals and 43 assists for 67 points in 133 games. He captained the Bulldogs during his senior year in 1994-95 when he attained Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic Team recognition for a third straight time and also landed the team's Community Service Award. Larson enjoyed a breakout season the previous winter when he finished with 28 points and nine power play goals en route to being named UMD's Most Improved Player. That same year he set a program record for fastest two power play goals (12 seconds vs. Northern Michigan University) which still stands. As a sophomore, Larson and the Bulldogs captured the WCHA regular season title and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA playoffs.
Selected in the 11th round by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1990 National Hockey League draft, Larson went on to skate 12 years in the professional ranks, including two (1990-2001) as a player-coach with the San Diego Gulls of the now-defunct West Coast Hockey League. He also did time with the Colonial Hockey League's Madison Monsters, the East Coast Hockey League's Louisville Riverfrogs, the International Hockey League's Utah Grizzlies, Las Vegas Thunder and Long Beach Ice Dogs in addition to spending another five years in Denmark, Germany and England. He wrapped up his playing days in 2006-07 as a player/assistant coach for the Florida Seals of the Southern Professional Hockey League before that Orlando-based franchise folded at midseason. During the spring of 2008, Larson coached Team RBK (AAA selects) in the Twin Cities metro area.
He returned to his alma mater in the summer of 2008, one year after wrapping up his professional playing career, which included a two-season stint as a player-coach with the San Diego Gulls of the now-defunct West Coast Hockey League.
"Obviously, I owe a lot to (UMD head coach) Scott Sandelin for everything he did to get me to this position," said Larson. "He's helped both me and Steve Rohlik get Division I head coaching jobs and I think that just solidifies his legacy as one of the best coaches in college hockey."
