In his five years and two tours of duty with the UMD coaching staff, Brett Larson has been part of one of the most successful runs in Bulldog hockey history
Larson, who spent three seasons as a UMD assistant before departing for the United States Hockey League in 2011 -- and eventually an associate head coaching job at Ohio State University, returned to the Bulldog staff in August 2015 to assume his old position. During his relatively short time at his alma mater, (2008-11 and 2015-17), UMD has rolled up a 117-63-27 overall record (for a .630 winning percentage), captured the school’s first-ever NCAA championship (at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center in 2011), made four NCAA playoff appearances (2009, 2011, 2016 and 2017) and skated off with 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 five times (2009-11 and 2016-17). He also coached and/or recruited one Hobey Baker Award Memorial Award winner, five All-Americans, eight future NHLers and one 2014 U.S. Olympian.
In late May 2011, Larson left UMD to take over the head coaching and general manager duties with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. He spent two seasons in Sioux City and directed that club to the USHL playoffs as a rookie bench boss in 2011-12. He also tutored current Bulldogs senior center Jared Thomas.
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’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.
Larson, who received a Bachelor’s degree in criminology from UMD in 2004, is a board member for the Northern Lights Foundation. He and his wife, Kelly, make their home in Duluth with their two children (Lane and Calla).
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