Head coach Doug Woog
Ten consecutive NCAA appearances, 300 career wins, and a first or second
place finish in the WCHA for nine of his 10 seasons in Gold Country add up
to success. That is precisely what Golden Gopher Head Coach Doug Woog has
enjoyed in his first decade at the helm of the University of Minnesota
hockey program. The former Golden Gopher All-American returned to his alma
mater in 1985 and has taken Minnesota's Pride On Ice to an even higher
level of consistent championship caliber play.
Last season's appearance in the Final Four was the second consecutive and
sixth overall in Woog's tenure. On March 25, 1995, Woog became the first
coach in Golden Gopher hockey history to record 300 wins with a 5-2 victory
over Colorado College in the NCAA quarterfinals. His 300-124-28 record and
.696 winning percentage are among the highest of any collegiate hockey
coach.
Woog is a 1962 graduate of South St. Paul (Minn.) High School, where he
garnered all-state hockey honors for three consecutive years. Upon
completion of his prep career, he accepted a scholarship to attend the
University of Minnesota and play hockey under head coach John Mariucci.
Woog's stellar collegiate career in Gold Country included All-America
honors his junior year when he led the team in scoring, and being named
team MVP following his senior season.
After graduating from Minnesota with honors in 1967 with a B.S. degree in
education, Woog played for the 1967 U.S. National Team and was a candidate
for the 1968 Olympic team. As he pursued a career in education, he earned a
master's degree in guidance and counseling from the College of St. Thomas.
Woog began his teaching and coaching career at Hopkins West Junior High
School in 1968, teaching geography while coaching football and hockey. In
the fall of 1968, he took a job at his high school alma mater, where he
became head soccer coach and an assistant in hockey and baseball. During
his time at South St. Paul, the soccer program won six conference crowns
and was runner-up for the state title twice.
In 1971 his coaching career branched out to Junior Hockey when he took a
position with the St. Paul Vulcans. From 1971 through 1977 he coached the
Vulcans and the Minnesota Junior Stars, who he directed to two U.S. Junior
National titles. In 1978 he was chosen to lead the West Team in the U.S.
Olympic Festival in Colorado Springs, Colo., where his squad won the gold
medal. In the 1989 Olympic Festival held in Oklahoma City, Okla., Woog
duplicated that feat by winning the gold medal with his South squad.
Woog returned to South St. Paul to take over the head hockey coaching
position in 1978. Over the course of the next seven years, including a
leave of absence in 1984 to serve as an assistant for the '84 Olympic team,
his Packer teams won two conference titles and advanced to the state
tournament four times. He has been involved with amateur hockey at all
levels, having served as a national committee member for AHAUS. He was
chairman of the National Skating Committee for USA Hockey, and has been the
head coach of the U.S. National Junior team in 1985 and the U.S. Select 17
team in 1989 that toured Czechoslovakia.
Woog has also been an active member of the community, and is a member ofthe
St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. He has been the chairperson for the
Wakota Arena Board for the South St. Paul area, along with being a past
president of the South St. Paul Coaches Association, and has been
instrumental in initiating and maintaining youth athletic organizations in
his community. He is also very active in local charities, including the
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
He and his wife, Janice, reside in South St. Paul. They have three
children, Amy, a Gustavus Adolphus graduate and current member of the
University of Minnesota Men's Athletics marketing and promotions staff;
Steve, a recent Northern Michigan graduate who lettered three seasons in
hockey; and Dan, a junior forward for the Golden Gophers.
The Woog report
Year Record WCHA Finish NCAA Tournament
1985-86 35-13-0 24-10-0 2nd 3rd place at Final Four
1986-87 34-14-1 25-9-1 2nd 3rd place at Final Four
1987-88 34-10-0 28-7-0 1st 4th place at Final Four
1988-89 34-11-3 27-6-2 1st 2nd place at Final Four
1989-90 28-16-2 17-9-2 2nd Lost in quarterfinals
1990-91 30-10-5 22-5-5 2nd Lost in quarterfinals
1991-92 33-11-0 26-6-0 1st Lost in Regional quarterfinals
1992-93 22-12-8 16-9-7 2nd Lost in Regional quarterfinals
1993-94 25-13-4 18-10-4 2nd 3rd place at Final Four
1994-95 25-14-5 16-11-5 4th 3rd place at Final Four
Totals 300-124-28 217-82-26
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Assistant coach Mike Guentzel
Assistant coach Mike Guentzel is beginning his second season on the Golden
Gopher hockey staff. Guentzel captained the 1984-85 squad as a player to a
31-13-3 mark, and graduated from the U of M with a bachelor's degree in
business and human relations.
Prior to returning to his alma mater in his current coaching capacity,
Guentzel spent two seasons as head coach and general manager of the Omaha
Lancers of the USHL. During his time at Omaha, the Lancers recorded an
89-39-2 overall record, including a 23-11 mark in postseason playoff
action. In his first season, the Lancers won both the regular season and
playoff championships.
Guentzel began his coaching career in 1986 as an assistant coach for the
St. Paul Vulcans, being promoted to head coach and general manager in 1989.
The Vulcans won the 1990-91 Junior A national championship, and the
following year he was honored as the USHL Coach of the Year. The last two
seasons, he served as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Junior Team
and will continue those duties this season.
The native of Coleraine, Minn., played prep hockey at Greenway High School,
where he graduated in 1981 before he accepted a scholarship offer from then
head coach Brad Buetow to play collegiately in Gold Country. A defenseman,
Guentzel tallied a career total of 87 points in 143 games for the Maroon
and Gold. Following his collegiate career, Guentzel briefly played
professional hockey for the Salt Lake City Golden Eagles of the IHL and the
New Haven Night Hawks of the AHL.
Guentzel and his wife Sally have three sons, Ryan, Gabe, and Jake, and
reside in Woodbury.
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Assistant coach Tom Ward
Tom Ward returns to Gold Country for his first season as an assistant coach
after a stellar career on the ice and the baseball diamond at the U of M in
the mid-1980's. A defenseman, Ward played in 70 career games for the Golden
Gopher hockey team from 1983-85. Devoting his final season to baseball, the
outfielder hit .340 in his hardball career while captaining the 1987 squad.
Ward has spent the last three seasons as head coach and general manager of
the St. Paul Vulcans of the USHL. During his tenure, the Vulcans recorded
an 85-77-4 record, including a 31-15-2 record and third-place finish in the
USHL last season.
Ward began his career behind the bench in 1987 at his alma mater, Richfield
High School, as an assistant hockey, football, and baseball coach for the
Spartans. In 1989, he became the assistant coach for the Vulcans under
Guentzel. In 1991-92, he helped lead the Vulcans to the Junior A national
championship. As a prep athlete, Ward gained all-state honors in both
hockey and baseball.
A 1987 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Ward holds a bachelor of
science degree in education. Ward and his wife Lori have two daughters,
Taylor and Hannah, and reside in Bloomington.
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Hockey facilities
Mariucci Arena brings a whole new look to Golden Gopher hockey. With the
best sight lines possible from every seat, no Gopher fan is ever
disappointed with the view of the fastest game in town. The Olympic-sized
ice sheet lends itself to the free-wheeling style of play of Minnesota's
"Pride On Ice". With the capability to have ice year-round, the arena
brings a truly state-of-the-art facility to the U of M campus.
Upon entering the building, fans immediately become part of the action as
play on the ice can be heard from the George Lyon Lobby. Lyon, a long-time
supporter of Golden Gopher hockey, dedicated a generous portion of his
estate to Mariucci Arena. The glassed-in entrance features a clear glass
elevator, original brick from Memorial Stadium and a display dedicated to
the legendary great John Mariucci, for whom the building is named. The
lobby area and concourse is a virtual shrine to Minnesota hockey, featuring
memorabilia that showcases Minnesota's influence on the sport. Plaques
recognize Minnesota's professionals and Olympians, WCHA and NCAA
championship teams, and every Gopher player who earned the right to wear
the "M". All of the displays, as well as the arena banners, were made
possible through the generosity of the Blue Line Club.
Escalators on either side of the lobby bring fans up to the concourse level
where the fastest game in town can be seen. The open-bowl configuration
allows fans to watch the game from anywhere on the concourse. Located in
the southwest corner of the building, above the concourse, is the Gold
Club. With 205 theatre-style seats, the club offers some of the best
viewing of Golden Gopher hockey. Behind the seating is the club area where
members can socialize before and after games.
As players exit the ice, they walk across the hall to the Golden Gopher
locker room, named for former U of M player Michael Reilly. The Reilly
family made a generous donation to the on-campus sports facilities
campaign. This spacious area in the lower level caters to the needs of the
Golden Gopher hockey players and offers numerous amenities. With two sets
of lockers for each person, players no longer have to mix clean street
clothes with a malodorous postgame jersey. Setting the mood for the team,
maroon "M" tiles are placed intermittently in the midst of the maroon and
gold decor.
Conveniently connected to the locker room is the equipment room. Instead of
having to go one place to pick up equipment and then to the locker room,
players have the luxury of picking up their things right next door. Also
connected to the locker room is the training room. Taping tables,
whirlpools and a doctor's examination room will assist trainers with the
rehabilitation of injured players.
Several other locker rooms complete the lower level; a visitor's locker
room (named for Robert Ridder, a close friend of John Mariucci); a media
work room and recreational and public locker rooms. One locker room is used
during the season for post-game press conferences. Coach Woog and opposing
coaches' interviews with reporters are televised in the press box and club
room.
Located behind the seats on the south side of the building on the entry
level is the new Golden Gopher weight room. This area provides ample space
for Golden Gopher hockey to build its muscle. The Gophers used the old
North Tower in Memorial stadium until three years ago. This weight room is
a welcome change from the ancient cramped space in "The Dungeon".
The press box is located at center ice above the concourse with the
television press box directly opposite. Designed specifically with media
needs in mind, both boxes allow media easy access and ample work space so
that whether you read about the game, watch it on television or listen to
it on the radio, the words and pictures will come from the best view of the
ice.
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Mariucci Arena top ten facts
1. The new arena is made with 256,580 bricks, 2,000 of which came from
Memorial Stadium.
2. 850 tons of steel and 1,917,754 pounds of reinforcing steel were used
during the construction period.
3. Row 12 is 18 feet above the ice; in the old arena fans in the same row
were only eight feet above ice level.
4. The crowd capacity for the new facility is 9,305, compared to 7,552 in
the old Mariucci Arena.
5. The new Mariucci Arena covers an area of 175,000 square feet; the old
Mariucci Arena was approximately 90,000 square feet.
6. The ice sheet in the new arena is 200 x 100 feet (Olympic-sized); the
old sheet was 200 x 85 feet.
7. The scoreboard is 20 feet wide and 15 feet high.
8. The new Mariucci Arena has eight locker rooms; the old arena had two.
9. The new building has a 200-ton ice-making capacity.
10. There is enough refrigeration piping under the new ice sheet to
stretch 11.36 miles or 60,000 feet.
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