Jeff Jackson is 2017-18 CCM/AHCA Division I Men's Coach of the Year
It is the second Spencer Penrose Award for Notre Dame Head Coach
For his efforts in leading the the University of Notre Dame to the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles and into this year's NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championships, Jeff Jackson of Notre Dame has been chosen winner of the 2018 Spencer Penrose Award as Division I Men's Ice Hockey CCM/AHCA Coach of the Year. For Jackson, it is the second such honor as his peers bestowed this award on him back in 2007 as well. He will receive his award on Wednesday evening, April 25, launching the American Hockey Coaches Association's annual convention in Naples, FL.
The 2017-18 Irish have compiled a mark of 27-9-2 heading into a Thursday night semifinal against Big Ten rival Michigan. Notre Dame has been battle tested in recent weeks as it comes to St. Paul off of two championships and four straight one-goal victories. The Big Ten tournament championship came after a 3-2 semifinal win over Penn State and a 3-2 OT triumph over Ohio State. At the NCAA Northeast Regional in Bridgeport, CT, the Irish prevailed by way of 4-3 OT and 2-1 wins over Michigan Tech and Providence, respectively.
Jackson is one of the iconic coaching figures in college hockey. He has had success at two NCAA institutions, taking a leave from college hockey for a decade in between. From 1990-1996, Jackson was the head coach at Lake Superior State, compiling a record of 182-52-25 (.751). In that time, Jackson won 30 or more games in five of his six seasons and captured the 1992 and 1994 NCAA titles.
Jackson returned to college hockey when he became head coach at Notre Dame prior to the start of the 2005-06 season. He was the CCHA Coach of the Year three times and he has taken Notre Dame teams to the NCAA Frozen Four four times, including the current edition. Overall, Jackson is 477-228-79 in 19 seasons, with a Notre Dame record of 295-176-54 in 13 seasons.
In between his college stints, Jackson enjoyed a variety of experiences, starting with USA Hockey and their new development model in 1996 and then moving to Guelph of the OHL and then on to the New York Islanders as an assistant coach. A former goaltender, Jackson graduated from Michigan State in 1978.
Assisting Jackson this season were Paul Pooley, Andy Slaggert and Zach Cisek. All will be recognized in Naples.
The runner-up for this year's AHCA Men's Division I Coach of the Year award was Steve Rohlik, head coach at The Ohio State University, also an NCAA Division I semifinalist.
The Spencer Penrose Award is named in memory of the Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAAchampionship hockey tournaments.
The CCM AHCA COACH of the YEAR AWARDS are sponsored by CCM HOCKEY and chosen by members of the AMERICAN HOCKEY COACHES ASSOCIATION. CCM is the legendary
hockey brand dedicated to the endless pursuit of performance by delivering game-changing, head-to-toe innovative hockey equipment to
players worldwide.
| Winners of the Spencer Penrose Award | |
| 1951 | Edward Jeremiah, Dartmouth |
| 1952 | Cheddy Thompson, Colorado College |
| 1953 | John Mariucci, Minnesota |
| 1954 | Vic Heyliger, Michigan |
| 1955 | Ralph "Cooney" Weiland, Harvard |
| 1956 | William Harrison, Clarkson |
| 1957 | Jack Riley, Army |
| 1958 | Harry Cleverly, Boston University |
| 1959 | John "Snooks" Kelley, Boston College |
| 1960 | Jack Riley, Army |
| 1961 | Murray Armstrong, Denver |
| 1962 | Jack Kelley, Colby |
| 1963 | Tony Frasca, Colorado College |
| 1964 | Tom Eccleston, Jr., Providence |
| 1965 | Jim Fullerton, Brown |
| 1966 | Amo Bessone, Michigan State Len Ceglarski, Clarkson |
| 1967 | Edward Jeremiah, Dartmouth |
| 1968 | Ned Harkness, Cornell |
| 1969 | Charlie Holt, New Hampshire |
| 1970 | John Maclnnes, Michigan Tech |
| 1971 | Ralph "Cooney" Weiland, Harvard |
| 1972 | John "Snooks" Kelley, Boston College |
| 1973 | Len Ceglarski, Boston College |
| 1974 | Charlie Holt, New Hampshire |
| 1975 | Jack Parker, Boston University |
| 1976 | John Maclnnes, Michigan Tech |
| 1977 | Jerry York, Clarkson |
| 1978 | Jack Parker, Boston University |
| 1979 | Charlie Holt, New Hampshire |
| 1980 | Rick Comley, Northern Michigan |
| 1981 | Bill O'Flaherty, Clarkson |
| 1982 | Ferny Flaman, Northeastern |
| 1983 | Bill Cleary, Harvard |
| 1984 | Mike Sertich, Minnesota-Duluth |
| 1985 | Len Ceglarski, Boston College |
| 1986 | Ralph Backstrom, Denver |
| 1987 | John "Gino" Gasparini, North Dakota |
| 1988 | Frank Anzalone, Lake Superior |
| 1989 | Joe Marsh, St. Lawrence |
| 1990 | Terry Slater, Colgate |
| 1991 | Rick Comley, Northern Michigan |
| 1992 | Ron Mason, Michigan State |
| 1993 | George Gwozdecky, Miami |
| 1994 | Don Lucia, Colorado College |
| 1995 | Shawn Walsh, Maine |
| 1996 | Bruce Crowder, UMass Lowell |
| 1997 | Dean Blais, North Dakota |
| 1998 | Tim Taylor, Yale |
| 1999 | Richard Umile, New Hampshire |
| 2000 | Joe Marsh, St. Lawrence |
| 2001 | Dean Blais, North Dakota |
| 2002 | Tim Whitehead, Maine |
| 2003 | Bob Daniels, Ferris State |
| 2004 | Scott Sandelin, Minnesota-Duluth |
| 2005 | George Gwozdecky, Denver |
| 2006 | Enrico Blasi, Miami |
| 2007 | Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame |
| 2008 | Red Berenson, Michigan |
| 2009 | Jack Parker, Boston University |
| 2010 | Wayne Wilson, RIT |
| 2011 | Nate Leaman, Union |
| 2012 | Bob Daniels, Ferris State |
| 2013 | Norm Bazin, UMass Lowell |
| 2014 | Rick Bennett, Union |
| 2015 | Mike Hastings, Minnesota State |
| 2016 | Rand Pecknold, Quinnipiac |
| 2017 | Jim Montgomery, Denver |
| 2018 | Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame |
