Bob Motsko out as Gopher men's ice hockey coach, sources say Bob Motsko, who guided the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team for eight seasons, will not return as head coach next year. The university confirmed it was a mutual decision to part ways, though no official announcement has been made. The Gophers concluded their most recent season with a losing record under Motsko, marking the first time in his tenure the team failed to secure a winning campaign. During his first seven seasons, Motsko compiled a 161-82-21 record, maintaining a .650 winning percentage. However, this year’s performance saw the team finish with an 11-22-3 overall record and a .347 winning percentage in Big Ten conference play. In conference games specifically, the Gophers posted a 7-15-2 record, further highlighting the decline in performance. Despite the recent struggles, Motsko led the team to consecutive NCAA Frozen Four appearances in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons. The program reached the national championship game in 2023 but fell to the eventual champion in the final. The university’s decision to move on from Motsko follows similar actions with the women’s hockey program. On Tuesday, the school announced that Brad Frost, the women’s head coach, had also been let go. Frost, who had led the team for several years, will not return for the 2024 season. In a statement, Director of Athletics Mark Coyle described Frost as a “great coach and an even better person,” acknowledging the difficulty of the decision. Coyle emphasized that the move was based on a review of the program’s performance both on and off the ice. He stated the university aims to compete at the highest level in women’s college hockey but noted the current team is not meeting those standards.#big_ten_conference #brad_frost #mark_coyle #bob_motsko #university_of_minnesota
