Duluth, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Duluth and men's hockey head coach Scott Sandelin have agreed to a two-year contract extension that will keep Sandelin behind the Bulldogs' bench through the 2026-27 season. Sandelin most recently signed a four-year contract extension in June of 2019.
 
"I would like to thank (UMD Athletic Director) Josh Berlo and (UMD Chancellor) Dr. Lendley Black for the opportunity and the continued support of our men's hockey program," said Sandelin. "I couldn't be happier to further my career with the Bulldogs and I'm excited to continue working with my great staff and student-athletes. It's been a great run thus far, and I look forward to building on the great traditions of Bulldog hockey on and off the ice."
 
"The leadership of Bulldog men's hockey remains in exceptional hands with Scott Sandelin at the helm for the foreseeable future," said UMD athletic director Josh Berlo. "I look forward to watching Coach Sandelin add to the history, tradition and legacy that is Bulldog men's hockey and the special place it occupies as an elite level program."
 
Sandelin concluded his program-record 22nd season with the Bulldogs this past March by directing UMD to its seventh consecutive NCAA tournament appearance (11th overall under his leadership). Sandelin has directed the Bulldogs to three NCAA Division I National Championships (2011, 2018, 2019). 
 
His 2018-19 Bulldogs rolled up 29 overall victories – the second most in program history – and most recently captured their third NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship. A seven-time Spencer Penrose Award honoree as the American Hockey Coaches Association NCAA Coach of the Year (winner in 2003-04, runner-up in 2010-11), Sandelin is the winningest coach in UMD history, going 428-348-95. He's also had a hand in producing three Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners (Jack Connolly in 2011-12, Junior Lessard in 2003-04 and Scott Perunovich 2019-20), 11 NCAA Division I All-Americans (including three-time pick Jack Connolly), and three Olympians (Justin Faulk for Team USA in 2014, Mason Raymond for Team Canada in 2018, and Noah Cates for Team USA in 2022). In addition, 26 of Sandelin's pupils have gone on to do time in the National Hockey League, including a school-record 13 in 2018-19.
 
CLASSROOM
The UMD men's hockey program has attained a 3.00 grade point average or better nearly every year under his tenure. This past winter, 17 Bulldogs earned NCHC All-Academic Team recognition with nine of those being named NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes for maintaining a 3.50 GPA or above.
 
COMPETITION
Sandelin's winning percentage in NCAA Tournament play -- .759 off a 23-8 record -- is the best of any active head coach (minimum eight games) and trails only the late Herb Brooks (.889 at the University of Minnesota) and Vic Heyliger (.800 at the University of Michigan) among all NCAA coaches. His Bulldogs are also a perfect 11-0 in first-round NCAA Tournament games and guided the Bulldogs to four straight NCAA Frozen Fours. Sandelin's philosophy of playing the best competition is evident in the fact that UMD has ranked at the top in the nation in regular season strength of schedule.
 
COMMUNITY
Throughout his 22-year tenure, Sandelin has made community engagement a top priority for his staff and players. The Bulldogs regularly volunteer at local elementary schools and hospitals, the Boys and Girls Club, area youth hockey organizations, and Duluth Freighters Hockey. Three of Sandelin's players have won or been a finalist for national community-service based honors during the past nine years -- Jack Connolly (Lowe's Senior CLASS Award recipient in 2012), Adam Krause (Hockey Humanitarian Award and Lowe's Senior CLASS Award finalists in 2015) and Karson Kuhlman (Lowe's Senior CLASS Award finalist in 2018).
 
This agreement is pending University of Minnesota Board of Regent approval at its upcoming June meeting.
 

Year	School	Overall	Pct.	Conference	Pct.	Place	NCAA Tournament	Awards/Honors
2000-01	UMD	7-28-4	.231	3-22-3 (WCHA)	.161	10th
2001-02	UMD	13-24-3	.363	6-19-3 (WCHA)	.268	9th
2002-03	UMD	22-15-5	.583	14-10-4 (WCHA)	.571	5th
2003-04	UMD	28-13-4	.667	19-7-2 (WCHA)	.714	2nd	2-1	Spencer-Penrose Award Winner USCHO.com National Coach of the Year WCHA Coach of the Year
2004-05	UMD	15-27-6	.473	11-13-4 (WCHA)	.464	6th
2005-06	UMD	11-25-4	.325	6-19-3 (WCHA)	.268	9th	0-1
2006-07	UMD	13-21-5	.397	8-16-4 (WCHA)	.357	9th
2007-08	UMD	13-17-6	.444	9-14-5 (WCHA)	.411	8th
2008-09	UMD	22-13-8	.605	10-11-7 (WCHA)	.482	7th	1-1
2009-10	UMD	22-17-1	.562	16-11-1 (WCHA)	.589	4th(t)
2010-11	UMD	26-10-6	.690	15-8-5 (WCHA)	.625	4th	4-0 (NCAA Champions)	Spencer Penrose Award Runnerup
2011-12	UMD	25-10-6	.683	16-7-5 (WCHA)	.661	2nd	1-1
2012-13	UMD	14-19-5	.434	10-13-5 (WCHA)	.446	9th
2013-14	UMD	16-16-4	.500	11-11-2 (NCHC)	.500	4th(t)
2014-15	UMD	21-16-3	.563	12-9-3 (NCHC)	.564	5th	1-1
2015-16	UMD	18-15-5	.539	11-10-3 (NCHC)	.520	4th	1-1
2016-17	UMD	28-7-7	.750	15-5-4 (NCHC)	.708	2nd	3-1	Spencer Penrose Award Finalist
2017-18	UMD	25-16-3	.630	13-11-0 (NCHC)	.542	3rd	4-0 (NCAA Champions)	Spencer Penrose Award Finalist USCHO National Coach of the Year
2018-19	UMD	29-11-2	.714	14-9-1 (NCHC)	.604	2nd	4-0 (NCAA Champions)	Spencer Penrose Award Finalist
2019-20	UMD	22-10-2	.676	17-5-2 (NCHC)	.750	2nd	COVID-19	Spencer Penrose Award Finalist
2020-21	UMD	15-11-2	.571	13-9-2 (NCHC)	.583	3rd	1-1	Spencer Penrose Award Finalist
2021-22	UMD	22-16-4	.571	10-10-4 (NCHC)	.500	5th	1-1
Totals		428-348-95	.496	259-249-71 116-77-21 (NCHC) 143-170-51 (WCHA)	.449 .552 .393		23-8 (.759)