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2024-25: D3whky

VTpucksouteast said:
blugolds.com

Strand steps down as Head Women's Hockey Coach - University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Head Women's Hockey Coach Erik Strand announced Thursday he will be stepping down from his position to accept
blugolds.com blugolds.com

Huge news, as Strand was one of the better coaches out west. It'll be interesting to see how UWEC rebounds, as they were pitiful pre-Strand
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Biz Bauer needs to get herself a raise out of this, whether its UWEC paying her to jump back to her alma mater or the threat of it getting her a bump out of Augsburg
 
Scott_TG said:
Biz Bauer needs to get herself a raise out of this, whether its UWEC paying her to jump back to her alma mater or the threat of it getting her a bump out of Augsburg
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Strand did a nice job with that program. I had the same thought here...assuming the Eau Claire administration wants to maintain a competitive program, Biz has to be the first call. Puts her in a nice position and could put Auggie in a tough spot. Should be really interesting to see how this plays out.
 
Dit Clapper said:
Strand did a nice job with that program. I had the same thought here...assuming the Eau Claire administration wants to maintain a competitive program, Biz has to be the first call. Puts her in a nice position and could put Auggie in a tough spot. Should be really interesting to see how this plays out.
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So I've been asking around since my post about Biz Bauer and it turns out that idea doesn't really apply here as I'm told that Eau Claire is not very competitive when it comes to coaching salary. What I found out is that Strand was able to make the gig work for him and stay long term to build the program because he also has had a full-time non-hockey career to make things work.

If Eau Claire wants to stay relevant, it would require them either

1) upping what they pay to bring in established full time coaches

2) identify young and inexperienced but high potential coaches to gamble on and if they are successful they will likely move to a better paying gig and they have to rinse and repeat.

3) find another Erik Strand type who has not only the coaching acumen to keep the program competitive but also the passion and energy to have careers both inside and outside the rink.
 
Scott_TG said:
So I've been asking around since my post about Biz Bauer and it turns out that idea doesn't really apply here as I'm told that Eau Claire is not very competitive when it comes to coaching salary. What I found out is that Strand was able to make the gig work for him and stay long term to build the program because he also has had a full-time non-hockey career to make things work.

If Eau Claire wants to stay relevant, it would require them either

1) upping what they pay to bring in established full time coaches

2) identify young and inexperienced but high potential coaches to gamble on and if they are successful they will likely move to a better paying gig and they have to rinse and repeat.

3) find another Erik Strand type who has not only the coaching acumen to keep the program competitive but also the passion and energy to have careers both inside and outside the rink
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Interesting. I've never given much thought to what the WIAC schools (or maybe in this case, just Eau Claire) are willing to pay, but it would be a shame to see a competitive program potentially fall on hard times based on the ability to hire a new coach. Time will tell...
 
Dit Clapper said:
Interesting. I've never given much thought to what the WIAC schools (or maybe in this case, just Eau Claire) are willing to pay, but it would be a shame to see a competitive program potentially fall on hard times based on the ability to hire a new coach. Time will tell...
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For context, using the public employees salary public info data for both Wisconsin and New York, I've found that if one took both Cranston's and Strand's combined 2024 UW system salaries, they fall considerably short of Kevin Houle's 2024 SUNY income by itself.

Granted Coach Houle has been employed by SUNY in the ballpark of 36 years when one adds his men's hockey coaching tenure so its not apples to apples.

A better comparison might be Buffalo State HC Rachel Grampp who after 4 seasons outearns Joe Cranston who has 26 seasons at UWRF.
 
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Scott_TG said:
For context, using the public employees salary public info data for both Wisconsin and New York, I've found that if one took both Cranston's and Strand's combined 2024 UW system salaries, they fall considerably short of Kevin Houle's 2024 SUNY income by itself.

Granted Coach Houle has been employed by SUNY in the ballpark of 36 years when one adds his men's hockey coaching tenure so its not apples to apples.

A better comparison might be Buffalo State HC Rachel Grampp who after 4 seasons outearns Joe Cranston who has 26 seasons at UWRF.
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That’s wild…COL certainly a little different, but still.
 
Dubuque has hired former UW-Eau Claire assistant coach Erin Connolly as their new head coach.

Connolly was the Blugold's goaltending coach from 2021-2024 before being named an assistant coach for the 2024-25 season. She was a four-time All-WIAC goalie for the Blugolds in her playing career.
 
CSS HC Sydney Brodt has hired McKenzie Revering (UMD '21) as her assistant coach. Revering has spent the last 4 years as a teacher and hockey coach at Alexandria HS, and also coaching with Northern Elite and MN High Performance Hockey clubs/groups.
 
Scott_TG said:
So I've been asking around since my post about Biz Bauer and it turns out that idea doesn't really apply here as I'm told that Eau Claire is not very competitive when it comes to coaching salary. What I found out is that Strand was able to make the gig work for him and stay long term to build the program because he also has had a full-time non-hockey career to make things work.

If Eau Claire wants to stay relevant, it would require them either

1) upping what they pay to bring in established full time coaches

2) identify young and inexperienced but high potential coaches to gamble on and if they are successful they will likely move to a better paying gig and they have to rinse and repeat.

3) find another Erik Strand type who has not only the coaching acumen to keep the program competitive but also the passion and energy to have careers both inside and outside the rink.
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No idea of what UWEC brings for salary, but the school itself has a lot of appeal, location, cost, newer facilities, and variety of majors with a good reputation. I would think it would be very easy to recruit to. One of the larger D3 schools in the nation, Eau Claire's a great town and only an hour out of the TC metro area. Plus the program from a player and talent perspective is still sitting good. Recent history against UWRF hasn't helped them out, as the path to D3 tourney is difficult but that's hard anywhere in the West.

They've been easily in the top 5 of West teams over the last 5 years. Never able to get over that hump, but understandably not easy competing with Gustavus and UWRF during that time frame.

It will be interesting to see where the program goes from here.
 
St. Olaf's has hired Ashley Holmes, who spent 2 seasons as an assistant at Minnesota and nine as an assistant at Augsburg prior to that, as their new assistant coach.
 
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Was there ever any news on why Madyson Moore is not the head coach at Dubuque anymore? She was the big story with they started that program, being a native of Dubuque. Haven't seen any news report, or evidence of her coaching elsewhere.
 
l0u1970 said:
Was there ever any news on why Madyson Moore is not the head coach at Dubuque anymore? She was the big story with they started that program, being a native of Dubuque. Haven't seen any news report, or evidence of her coaching elsewhere.
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I'm hearing there were some things she and the AD didn't see eye to eye on and they parted ways.
 
Lot's of coaching changes in the West this year, especially in the MIAC. I'm excited to see how this shakes things up, especially from a recruiting perspective. Hamline, St Kates, St Scholastica, UWEC, and year 2 of Biz at Augsburg.

The old guard at UWRF and Gustavus had little to worry about the last 5 years. A little premature at this time to see how that pans out, but Augsburg has a ton coming back just a little shallow on depth at D but primed to contend. Hamline has the talent to move forward, good class coming in and situation for the new coach. St Bene's looks like it might be turning a corner. Brodt should have a positive impact on St Scholastica, I think she'll have that team moving up quickly. St Norbert's has a good class coming in, to build on their momentum but most likely a year or two out until they develop. UWEC has talent, should be interesting how that team comes out of the gate.

New momentum speaks volumes and some already had the boat moving in the right direction. Not sure much changes this year with the top three, but plenty of teams could challenge soon.
 
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