Laura Schuler enters her third season behind the bench of the Bulldogs in 2026-27 after guiding UMD to its 17th NCAA Tournament last March.
Schuler once again produced a healthy number of PWHL draft picks in 2026, with four graduated seniors having their names called. Since Schuler has taken over at UMD, nine Bulldogs have been drafted by the PWHL in just two years. Not only has Schuler coached all 22 of the Bulldog's PWHL draft picks over the past four drafts during her time with the UMD program, but she's also coached 29 of UMD's 45 Olympians.
Last season, the Bulldogs continued to fill up their trophy case, with Eve Gascon named a All-USCHO First Team selection for a second-consecutive season and an ACHC Second Team All-American. Graduate captain Mary Kate O'Brien was also named the WCHA's Most Outstanding Student Athlete -- the second in as many seasons for Schuler as a head coach -- and had five players named ACHC All-Americans. Gascon was also named the 2025-26 WCHA's Goaltender of the Year and 2025-26 WCHA Goaltending Champion, while Gascon and Edmonton Oiler Development Camp invitee Caitlin Kraemer both earned All-WCHA accolades (Gascon First Team, Kraemer Third Team).
In Schuler's first year at the helm, UMD piled up a plethra of post season awards, including Gascon's ACHC First Team All-American status and standout then freshman center Caitlin Kraemer's HCA Julie Chu Rookie of the Year award. Gascon was also named the WCHA Goaltender of the Year while Kraemer was named the WCHA's Rookie of the Year. Graduated forward Clara Van Wieren was named the WCHA's Most Outstanding Student Athlete for a second-straight year, while six players landed on All-WCHA Teams.
Schuler became the third head coach in the 25 year history of one of the most successful programs in all of Division I women's college hockey on July 10, 2024 after finishing her third consecutive season with the Bulldogs in 2023-24 as an associate head coach. Her return to UMD bench in 2021-22 helped result in an NCAA championship title game appearance and three-straight NCAA Tournament berths for the Bulldogs.
A part of six NCAA Tournament teams at UMD in all, including three NCAA Frozen Fours and an NCAA championship title in 2010, Schuler has spent a total of 10 seasons on the bench of the Bulldogs over her coaching career in Duluth, and helped those 10 UMD teams to a record of 187-105-29.
Schuler notably owns an extensive resume of coaching and playing with Hockey Canada, and an international background that has spanned over two decades. Named the head coach of the Canadian National Women's Hockey team during the 2015-16 season, Schuler was again tabbed for the job over the 2016-17 season. Schuler was then chosen to lead the Canadian Olympic women's team in the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang. Schuler and Team Canada went on to face the United States where Canada took home the silver medal in a 3-2 shootout loss.
Additionally, the Scarborough, Ontario native has spent a decade coaching all three of Hockey Canada's High Performance Programs. She was as an assistant coach with the National Women's Team in 2010-11 (Four Nations Cup - Gold); a head coach of the U-22 National Development Women's Team in 2011-12 (Meco Cup - Silver); an assistant of the Canadian U-18 National Team in 2012-13 (Worlds - Gold) and a head coach of the U-18 National Team in 2013-14 (Worlds - Gold).
As a player, Schuler competed for Hockey Canada after her collegiate career at Northeastern. She won three gold medals at the World Championships in 1990, 1992 and 1997, two gold medals at the Pacific Rim Championships in 1995 and 1996 and two gold and a silver at the Three Nations Cup in 1996, 1997 and 1999. She was also a member of the 1998 Canadian Olympic team and won a silver medal at the Winter Games.
Schuler began her coaching career in 2001 as the head coach of UMass Boston and later at her alma mater of Northeastern from 2004-2008. Schuler became an assistant coach for the Bulldogs originally in 2008 and, over seven seasons, helped lead UMD to three NCAA Tournament berths, as well as an NCAA title in 2010. She then spent three seasons at the helm of Dartmouth College (2016-2020), with a one-year sabbatical during her tenure to guide the Canadian Olympic team in the 2018 Olympics.
Schuler graduated cum laude from Northeastern University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
As the third head coach in program history, Schuler notably has the distinction of having served as an assistant coach for multiple seasons under both of the previous head coaches at UMD – most recently Maura Crowell (2015-2023) and Shannon Miller (1999-2015).
