Introduction
Don Lucia (born August 20, 1958) is the head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's hockey team. He has twice led the Golden Gophers to the NCAA National Championship title, in 2002 and 2003. Under Lucia, the Golden Gophers have won four MacNaughton Cups (awarded to the WCHA's regular season champion), the Broadmoor Trophy three times (awarded to the WCHA playoff champion), and the Big Ten regular season championship in each of that league's first three seasons. He has coached one Hobey Baker Award winner, Jordan Leopold. He is one of 10 coaches to record more than 600 NCAA men's ice hockey wins, and one of four to win national titles in consecutive years. Lucia graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1981, where he played defense for the school's hockey team. He is married to his wife Joyce, with whom he shares 4 kids: Allison, Jessica, Tony, and Mario.
Personal information
Lucia has two sons who have been picked in the NHL Entry Draft. Tony Lucia (born 1987), who is currently playing in the American Hockey League with the Worcester Sharks, was selected in the 6th round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks; and Mario Lucia (born 1993), who is currently playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey team in the NCAA's Hockey East, was selected in the 2nd round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild.
During the 2008–2009 season, Lucia was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, but only missed four games while battling the autoimmune disease. This illness, combined with a growing number of college hockey players taking their talents to the NHL, led Lucia's Gophers to a 17–18–2 record during the 2009–2010 season. This season was Lucia's only year with a losing record with the Gophers, and his first since coaching Alaska-Fairbanks in the 1991–1992 season.
Head coaching record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks (Great West) (1987–1988) | |||||||||
| 1987-88 | Alaska-Fairbanks | 21–10–2 | 5–3–0 | 1st | |||||
| Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks (Independent) (1988–1993) | |||||||||
| 1988-89 | Alaska-Fairbanks | 21–12–3 | |||||||
| 1989-90 | Alaska-Fairbanks | 10–20–9 | |||||||
| 1990-91 | Alaska-Fairbanks | 17–16–2 | |||||||
| 1991-92 | Alaska-Fairbanks | 7–27–1 | |||||||
| 1992-93 | Alaska-Fairbanks | 23–12–2 | |||||||
| Alaska-Fairbanks: | 99–97–19 | ||||||||
| Colorado College Tigers (WCHA) (1993–1999) | |||||||||
| 1993-94 | Colorado College | 23–11–5 | 18–9–5 | 1st | WCHA First Round | ||||
| 1994-95 | Colorado College | 30–12–1 | 22–9–1 | 1st | NCAA West Regional Semifinals | ||||
| 1995-96 | Colorado College | 33–5–4 | 26–2–4 | 1st | NCAA Runner-Up | ||||
| 1996-97 | Colorado College | 25–15–4 | 17–11–4 | T-4th | NCAA Frozen Four | ||||
| 1997-98 | Colorado College | 26–13–3 | 16–10–2 | 3rd | NCAA East Regional Semifinals | ||||
| 1998-99 | Colorado College | 29–12–1 | 20–8–0 | 2nd | NCAA East Regional Semifinals | ||||
| Colorado College: | 166–68–18 | 119–49–16 | |||||||
| Minnesota Golden Gophers (WCHA) (1999–2013) | |||||||||
| 1999-00 | Minnesota | 20–19–2 | 13–13–2 | 6th | WCHA Third Place Game (Loss) | ||||
| 2000-01 | Minnesota | 27–13–2 | 18–8–2 | 3rd | NCAA East Regional Quarterfinals | ||||
| 2001-02 | Minnesota | 32–8–4 | 18–7–3 | 3rd | NCAA National Champion | ||||
| 2002-03 | Minnesota | 28–8–9 | 15–6–7 | T-2nd | NCAA National Champion | ||||
| 2003-04 | Minnesota | 27–14–3 | 15–12–1 | T-4th | NCAA Midwest Regional Final | ||||
| 2004-05 | Minnesota | 28–15–1 | 17–10–1 | T-3rd | NCAA Frozen Four | ||||
| 2005-06 | Minnesota | 27–9–5 | 20–5–3 | 1st | NCAA West Regional Semifinals | ||||
| 2006-07 | Minnesota | 31–10–3 | 18–7–3 | 1st | NCAA West Regional Final | ||||
| 2007-08 | Minnesota | 19–17–9 | 9–12–7 | 7th | NCAA Northeast Regional Semifinals | ||||
| 2008-09 | Minnesota | 17–13–7 | 12–11–5 | 5th | WCHA Quarterfinal | ||||
| 2009-10 | Minnesota | 18–19–2 | 12–14–2 | 7th | WCHA First Round | ||||
| 2010-11 | Minnesota | 16–14–6 | 13–10–5 | 5th | WCHA First Round | ||||
| 2011-12 | Minnesota | 28–13–1 | 20–8–0 | 1st | NCAA Frozen Four | ||||
| 2012-13 | Minnesota | 26–9–5 | 16–7–5 | T-1st | NCAA West Regional Semifinals | ||||
| Minnesota: | 344–181–59 | 206–118–39 | |||||||
| Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten) (2013–present) | |||||||||
| 2013-14 | Minnesota | 28–6–6 | 14–3–3 | 1st | NCAA Runner-Up | ||||
| 2014-15 | Minnesota | 23–12–3 | 12–5–3 | 1st | NCAA Northeast Regional Semifinals | ||||
| 2015-16 | Minnesota | 20–17–0 | 14–6–0 | 1st | Big Ten Runner-Up | ||||
| Minnesota: | 71–35–9 | 40–14–6 | |||||||
| Total: | 680-381-105 | ||||||||
| National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||