For a second consecutive year, University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey head coach Maura Crowell has been named a finalist for the 2021-22 Division I Coach of the Year award, presented by CCM and the American Hockey Coaches Association.

Crowell, who was selected the CCM/AHCA Coach of the Year in 2017 (and the last Western Collegiate Hockey Association coach to land the honor), was one of seven coaches named a finalist.  The seven coaches must either be voted as Coach of the Year in their respective conference or advance to the NCAA Semifinals, and five of the finalists are former Coach of the Year honorees, including Crowell.

Currently in her seventh season behind the bench of the Bulldogs, Crowell and NCAA Frozen Four bound UMD has gone 26-11-1 overall, including posting nine wins against teams that made the NCAA Tournament this season. With a UMD career-best 26 wins so far this season, Crowell also as two top-10 Patty Kazmaier Award Finalists in Gabbie Hughes and Élizabeth Giguère.  Hughes, also a Hockey Humanitarian Finalist, was a All-WCHA First Team selection, while Giguere, one of only four players in history to be named a Patty Kazmaier Finalist four consecutive times, was a All-WCHA Second Team honoree.

Crowell and the Bulldogs will make their first back-to-back appearance in the NCAA Frozen Four in over a decade when they take on No. 3 Northeastern University Friday. The 2021-22 winner is set to be announced this Thursday, March 17 ahead of the 2022 Frozen Four taking place in University Park, Penn. 
 
2021-22 CCM/AHCA Women's Ice Hockey Division I Coach of the Year Finalists
(* past winners of the Division I Coach of the Year Award)
 
Mark Bolding, Yale  - ECAC Coach of the Year and NCAA Semifinalist
Maura Crowell, Minnesota Duluth * - NCAA Semifinalist
Paul Flanagan, Syracuse * - CHA Coach of the Year
Dave Flint, Northeastern * - NCAA Semifinalist
Nadine Muzerall, Ohio State – WCHA Coach of the Year and NCAA Semifinalist
Jim Plumer, Vermont  - Hockey East Coach of the Year
David Stockdale, Franklin Pierce – NEWHA Coach of the Year

Past Winners of the Women's Division I Coach of the Year

Winners of the Women's Division I Coach of the Year
1998	Laura Halldorson, Minnesota
1999	Katey Stone, Harvard
2000	Judy Oberting, Dartmouth
2001	Paul Flanagan, St. Lawrence
2002	Laura Halldorson, Minnesota
2003	Shannon Miller, Minnesota-Duluth
2004	Laura Halldorson, Minnesota
2005	Mike Sisti, Mercyhurst
2006	Mark Johnson, Wisconsin
2007	Mark Johnson, Wisconsin
2008	Jim Fetter, Wayne State
2009	Mark Johnson, Wisconsin
2010	Doug Derraugh, Cornell
2011	Mark Johnson, Wisconsin
2012	Chris Wells, St. Lawrence
2013	Brad Frost, Minnesota
2014	Brad Frost, Minnesota
2015	Katie King Crowley, Boston College
2016	Katie Crowley, Boston College
2017	Maura Crowell, Minnesota Duluth
2018	Greg Fargo, Colgate
2019	Doug Derraugh, Cornell
2020	Doug Derraugh, Cornell
2021	Dave Flint, Northeastern