I recently had an opportunity to ‘tip a few back’ with Clint Hagmaier, the Head Coach of Indiana University’s ACHA Division 2 Hockey team. Hagmaier is heading into his second season behind the Hoosier bench, and was happy to share some insight about his first year at the helm and the direction he hopes to steer the program.
At his suggestion, we met at Nick’s English Hut, a true Bloomington institution and home to IU faithful for decades. There are many reasons why this unique establishment is still going strong after 90 years, but you wouldn’t be able to tell at first glance. Nick’s is like the Hogwarts of college bars: filled with magic hidden deep within its walls. The ground floor gives new meaning to the word cozy, as the booths are barely big enough to fit two people on a side and you literally have to belly up to the bar for someone to squeeze behind. But if you meander down the narrow aisle lined with Hoosier nostalgia and ascend the well traveled staircase - which you nearly have to go through the kitchen to access - you will stumble upon (literally, in some cases) a cavernous second story that instantly transports you back to the glory days of IU.
Nick’s is a place that both defines and defies the concept of a college bar, and absolutely MUST be experienced to understand its charm. With an extensive menu of traditional and unique pub fare, there is something to satisfy nearly every palette. Cold brews and other beverages of choice are served in quaint Pound Jars, and a game of ‘Sink the Biz’ is apt to break out at any given moment. But it’s the people that make Nick’s truly unique. The entire place exudes a feeling of welcome to rival “Cheers” - even if you happen to be wearing Purdue gear. If you’ve never been to Nick’s, you owe it to yourself to stop in. Guaranteed that your first visit won’t be your last.
About Clint Hagmaier
Hired to head up the Hoosier hockey club in 2016, Hagmaier brought an extensive and diverse resume to Bloomington. After completing his degree and collegiate hockey career at Edinboro University, Hagmaier had a brief pro stint with the Mon Valley Thunder before both the club and the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League folded following their first season. He has worked for several NA3HL and NAHL programs as a coach, equipment manager, scout, and hockey director. In addition to coaching IU’s ACHA D2 club, Hagmaier also serves as a scout for the Utah Outliers Jr. A Hockey Club and an associate coach for numerous Pro Ambitions hockey camps.
INHockey: Clint, how would you describe your first season at IU?
Hagmaier: It was a learning experience - for both myself and the players.
INHockey: In what ways?
Hagmaier: We all had to adjust our expectations and our mentality. Even at this level, the college game is another step up from Juniors. The players are older, bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter. I demanded more from my team, and that meant that they required more from me as well.
INHockey: What was your first impression of the club when you arrived in Bloomington last year?
Hagmaier: It was a bit of a mixed bag. There were some highly dedicated players, and there were a few who seemed to view it as just another part of the college experience. Not bad guys or bad players, mind you… it just didn’t mean as much to them as it did many of the others.
INHockey: So what was the first order of business then?
Hagmaier: We had to set a new standard of expectations based on what was best for the program. IU has a long history of success. Since 1969, we’ve won 11 titles in three leagues and been to the D2 National Championship game on four separate occasions. We needed to bring back that dedication to excellence, that championship mentality.
INHockey: And did you?
Hagmaier: It’s getting there. Changing the culture of a program takes time. There are no magic solutions, no quick fixes. It requires each guy holding themselves accountable to the team. Older players have to set the example for the younger guys, and we need to recruit new players each year that have both the skills and the mindset to keep moving things forward.
INHockey: Forward to where?
Hagmaier: We have to start by being competitive. We’ve been a sub-.500 club the last few seasons, so obviously we need to start winning more. And to make that happen, we need everyone to bring the right effort and the right mentality to the rink every day. That includes the coaches too. We have to step up our game, same as the players. Ultimately we want get back to the national tournament and move back up to D1 where we once were.
INHockey: It certainly would be good to see you guys back up in D1, that’s for sure. We like to dream big though. Recently the NCAA made some noise about expanding the number of teams at Division I, and a lot of it mentioned the Fighting Illini. Personally, we’d like to see the Hoosiers competing in the Big Ten at the NCAA DI level.
Hagmaier: You and me both! In fact, there are a lot of alumni and fans who share that same dream. That’s a ways down the road though, and there’s a lot that needs to happen first.
INHockey: Such as?
Hagmaier: Winning, first of all. We can’t move up until we start having some success where we’re at, so we really have to focus our energy on building a winning program. We also need to attract more top caliber players and build some depth in our system - guys that have played in high level Juniors and such. We have some great players in the program already - really skilled guys with a lot of grit. But we just don’t have the kind of depth we need to compete at the next level.
INHockey: Recruiting is a tough business, and there’s a lot of competition out there. What are some of the selling points you use to attract prospects to the program?
Hagmaier: Honestly, the school itself is our biggest attraction. IU is an incredible campus with world-class academics. Kelley is one of the top business schools in the nation. We have championship sports, and Bloomington is such a fantastic town! In fact, a lot of our current players passed up other opportunities just to come to IU. There’s also some great tradition in our program. The last few years haven’t been very successful, but we’re not that far removed some of those runs to the national championship game.
INHockey: We readily admit that Indiana is an incredible school and Bloomington is an awesome college town. But it’s going to take more than that for the program to get to DI. Frank Southern Arena doesn’t meet the specification required by the NCAA, nor does it offer the amenities that other facilities do.
Hagmaier: The ‘Frank’ might not be much to look at, but it’s ours. The ice is always cold and the people are fantastic. But yeah, eventually we’ll need a new place that meets NCAA requirements and the needs of the program. The ‘Frank’ only holds about 800, and that’s with everyone getting cozy. *The NCAA does not have a seating requirement for home venues, but most leagues do. The NCAA mandates seating for at least 5,000 to be eligible to host regional playoff games.
INHockey: Any chance of that happening? Outside of a ‘Terry Pegula’ waltzing in, of course.
Hagmaier: (laughs) If you know of one, send him my way, will ya? There's been conversations, but nothing concrete so far. When the university is presented with the right situation, I’m sure it’ll happen. I do know it’ll take a lot of involvement by the alumni and the community, though, to make it happen. I certainly hope it does. Not just for my club, but for all of hockey in Bloomington. We want to work more closely with the (Bloomington Blades) youth organization, and a new facility would help grow their program as well.
INHockey: How involved with the youth program are you now?
Hagmaier: We’ve done some volunteer work with the 14U team, and we want to keep building that relationship. Between school and hockey, our players are busy. But there's always a way to give back. We’ll continue to look for ways to support their organization, and hopefully the kids and families will support ours as well. They’re the future of hockey here.
INHockey: How true. Speaking of the future, what does the future hold for your club? What lies ahead for the Hoosiers this season?
Hagmaier: I’m excited for this season, but we’ve got a few holes to fill. Losing (Defenseman Jake) Novak will be tough. He was a true gamer. I swear, he could be on death’s door and still get up for his next shift! We’ll miss Jordan (Reizen) between the pipes as well. Travis Maxwell (F) will surely be missed, but we’re hoping to get him back in the second half.
INHockey: Maxwell wore the “C” last season. Losing your leader is always tough. What’s keeping him out?
Hagmaier: His schedule. He took an internship that was a great opportunity for him, but it messed with his course schedule and needs the semester to get back on track. Hopefully by next semester he’ll have it all straightened out.
INHockey: Academics do come first.
Hagmaier: Absolutely! Over half our team last year were Academic All-Americans. We take great pride in that fact. The boys are students first, hockey players second.
INHockey: So what are you looking forward to most this season?
Hagmaier: The growth, mostly. We have a young, enthusiastic bunch that is ready to go to work. We've got a good core of vets with guys such as Christian (Schurmann-Colicchio), and we’ll be looking for more out of guys like Jack Jordan too. We’re going to be a fast team just like last year, and should be able to add to that with some of our newcomers. We won’t know for sure, as we’re just getting underway this week, but we’re excited with the guys we’re bringing in. And with (Joseph) Stebbins and (Cameron) McNamara back in net, we should be able to take some steps forward this season.
INHockey: What about the schedule itself? Any ‘red letter’ games circled?
Hagmaier: Obviously starting off with Louisville, a regional rival. We typically have some great games against them. Davenport (University) is always tough, and GV (Grand Valley State University) will be a challenge as well. We’re really looking forward to starting the series with Trine University, what we’re calling the I-69 Cup. We might try and come up with a really unique trophy for the winner. The outdoor games in Rosemont in January will be a blast as well. Should be a great experience for the boys. And of course, Homecoming weekend against Michigan State. It’s always good when we play other Big Ten schools.
INHockey: Sounds like a load of fun! There are plenty of hockey fans that will be looking forward to this season. Glad we’re able to be a part of it.
Hagmaier: Thanks for the support. We love what you guys are doing for hockey in Indiana, and we’re happy to be working with you.
INHockey: Thanks for the time, and best of luck this season, Coach
*Indiana University opens their season on September 15, 2017 v. University of Louisville in Columbus, IN
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Preview: Irish Headline Frozen Four Field
Notre Dame comes into the NCAA Hockey Championship Frozen Four this week as the number-one team in the nation in the current USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll—although rankings and seeding often mean little in contests at this level.
If NCAA statistics are the gauge, here’s how to look at the matchups (Ohio State vs. Minnesota Duluth, followed by Notre Dame vs. Michigan) Thursday night in Saint Paul, Minnesota:
--Notre Dame (number-one seed in the NCAA East Regional and the number-two overall seed) boasts the top-rated assist man in the field (senior forward Jake Evans at .82 per game) and the stingiest net-minder (sophomore Cale Morris with his 1.91 goals-against average and .945 save percentage that ranks first nationally).
Morris headlines a quartet of Frozen Four goalies, none of whom had a minute of NCAA experience until the 2018 regionals.
Evans is the top career scorer of all players in Saint Paul (39 goals, 95 assists, 134 points).
--Ohio State (number-one seed in the NCAA Midwest Regional and number-four overall seed) possesses the best overall defense (2.08 goals allowed), the best penalty-kill unit (.893) and the player with the most power-play goals (junior forward Mason Jobst—who is from Speedway, Indiana--with nine).
The Buckeyes also qualify as the team with the best scoring margin (plus-1.18).
--Michigan (number-two seed in the NCAA Northeast Regional and the number-eight overall seed) has the top individual scorer (senior forward Tony Calderone at .62 goals per game) and the highest-scoring offense (3.41 goals per game).
Calderone (24) and Jobst (21) are the only 20-goal scorers alive in the 2018 Frozen Four.
--Minnesota Duluth (number-three seed in the NCAA West Regional and number-12 overall seed) brings the most effective power-play unit (.239).
Both Notre Dame and Duluth played in the Frozen Four a year ago in Chicago (two year-after-year national semifinalists hasn’t happened in a decade)—and the last time this event played at the Xcel Energy Center in 2011, Notre Dame, Duluth and Michigan all were present. Duluth’s title that year began an ongoing run of seven consecutive years with different NCAA champions.
All four head coaches know their way around Frozen Fours:
--Notre Dame’s Jeff Jackson won a pair of titles as Lake Superior State head coach (1992 and 1994) and a third as a Laker assistant coach (1988).
--Duluth’s Scott Sandelin coached the Bulldogs to the NCAA title in 2011—in the process defeating two of the same teams in the 2018 Frozen Four, Notre Dame and Michigan. He also was part of two NCAA title teams as a North Dakota assistant coach (1997 and 2000).
--Michigan’s Mel Pearson won two as a Wolverine assistant coach (1996 and 1998).
“It’s been a while since Michigan has been to the Frozen Four,” Pearson said Wednesday. “It’s great to be back.”
--Ohio State’s Steve Rohlik claimed an NCAA title as a player (1990 at Wisconsin).
This is Pearson’s 13th Frozen Four (first as a head coach), Jackson’s seventh (three at Lake Superior State and now four at Notre Dame), Sandelin’s ninth (four as Duluth head coach, four as a North Dakota assistant plus an NCAA title he helped win at North Dakota in 1984) and Rohlik’s third (he played on that 1990 Wisconsin title team and also helped Duluth to the 2004 Frozen Four as an assistant coach).
It’s the first time since 1969 that none of the Frozen Four head coaches attended the institution where he currently coaches.
The Irish roster features five players whose Minnesota roots translate to a bit of home cooking this week—senior forward Bo Brauer (Edina), senior defenseman Tony Bretzman (Mendota Heights), senior defenseman Jordan Gross (Maple Grove), freshman defenseman Matt Hellickson (Rogers) and junior forward Dylan Malmquist (Edina).
The Notre Dame team charter flew into the snow and cold of Saint Paul Tuesday night (the Irish flight was slated to depart South Bend at 6:30 p.m. but ultimately did not leave until after 9 p.m. because the Minneapolis airport temporarily shut down) in anticipation of renewing a Midwest hockey rivalry that goes back to the 1921-22 season. The Irish defeated the Wolverines twice that year, including once on the Badin Rink on the Notre Dame campus. Notre Dame and Michigan meet for the 140th time late Thursday night.
The Irish and Wolverines have met twice previously in NCAA play: Notre Dame won 5-4 in overtime in an NCAA Frozen Four semifinal in 2008 in Denver when Michigan was ranked number one in the country, while the Wolverines won 3-2 (also in overtime) in a 2016 Midwest Regional semifinal in Cincinnati.
Notre Dame and Michigan split their four 2017-18 meetings—the Irish winning twice (both 2-1 scores) in a Jan. 5 and 7 home-and-home weekend that extended Notre Dame’s overall win streak to 13 and their Big Ten opening streak to 12.
Michigan won twice in a similar Friday/Sunday home-and-home pairing Feb. 16 and 18 when Notre Dame was ranked number one--one weekend after the Irish clinched the Big Ten regular-season title. Before those two games Notre Dame had won seven of the last eight series meetings (the lone loss coming in that 2016 NCAA regional contest). The Wolverines ranked as the only team to defeat Notre Dame twice in 2017-18.
Calderone suggested that the two games in January—both one-goal Wolverine losses when the Irish were number one—actually gave Michigan confidence, leading the next weekend to its first sweep at Minnesota (then ranked ninth nationally) since 1977.
Despite Notre Dame’s multiple 2018 Big Ten titles (regular season and tournament) and 16-game win streak, this will be the third time since 1974 that no team in the country wins 30 games—even if the Irish (27-9-2) win it all.
And despite that hot start, the Irish come to Saint Paul having won only six of their last 10 games (Michigan is sizzling with nine victories in its last 10—Ohio State and Duluth both have won seven of 10).
Against the entire 2018 NCAA field, Notre Dame boasts the best record at 12-4-2. Ohio State has posted nine wins in that category, Michigan seven and Duluth four.
Of the four teams Notre Dame has won the most games after scoring first (21), trailing after one period (six), tied after one period (11) and in overtime (three--Ohio State also won three of those).
The Irish are 13-3 this season in one-goal games (Michigan and Ohio State have won seven apiece; Duluth has won five). Of Notre Dame’s 19 previous NCAA games, 12 have been one-goal affairs—including seven that required at least one overtime. Six of Notre Dame’s last seven NCAA assignments have turned into one-goal games (the only outlier is the 6-1 Irish loss to Denver in a 2017 Frozen Four semifinal).
The Frozen Four in 2018 is being held in the backyard of the University of Minnesota which did not make the field this year but has been an NCAA qualifier 37 times to lead the nation (Michigan also has earned bids 37 times). Former Gopher head coach Don Lucia (he’s a Notre Dame grad and former Irish hockey standout whose son Mario played for Notre Dame in 2012-16) stopped by Wednesday to visit with Jackson on the Irish bench during Notre Dame’s Xcel Energy Center practice.
There’s a heavy Big Ten Conference influence in Saint Paul with three of the four Frozen Four qualifiers coming from that league—the first time in 13 years a single conference has sent a trio of teams to the final weekend. It came in Notre Dame’s first season competing in hockey in the Big Ten—after previously facing Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State during their days together in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (the Irish played in that league from 1992-93 through 2012-13).
“There's not a bad team in the Big Ten and I think it shows right now with three out of the four in the Frozen Four right now,” said Gross.
Five of the previous eight Frozen Fours this decade have been won by number-one seeds. Notre Dame (and Ohio State) will try to make it six in 2018.
At the same time, Notre Dame as an athletic department will be trying to win its third NCAA title in three weekends—following fencing and women’s basketball. The only other time the Irish have won two national crowns in a year came in 1977-78 (football and men’s fencing).
Meanwhile, Michigan goaltender Hayden Lavigne noted how the appearance of the Wolverine men’s basketball team in the NCAA men’s basketball title game Monday has given the hockey players a boost as they play in their own Final Four this week: “Their energy has translated onto us.”
Lavigne also suggested that Notre Dame’s entrance into the Big Ten for hockey has “reignited” the Irish-Wolverine rivalry.
“Both teams know each other really well,” added Pearson, Michigan’s first-year head coach.
“Michigan is much improved,” said Jackson. “They've grown a lot over the last several months. I remember when I took over Notre Dame, it took us over half a year to get our culture in place, to get our system in place, to figure out what players we had. And they had to figure me out.
“I'm sure the same thing happened to Mel this year. From January to a month later when we played them again, I saw them better than they were earlier. He's done an incredible job this year. That program's back on the rise.”
Blue and gold? Maize and blue?
One of those combinations will play Saturday night for an NCAA title.
Miami (OH), Trine set to join conference next season
The Indiana Collegiate Hockey Conference will expand to eight teams for the 2018-19 season with the addition of the Trine University and Miami (Ohio) University ACHA Division 3 teams, according to ICHC Commissioner Tim Driscoll. Founded in 2014 by the four original member schools - Indiana, Purdue, IPFW, and Ball State - the conference has seen steady growth since its inception. The Butler Bulldogs joined the ICHC in 2016, and Eastern Kentucky accepted the invitation for the 2017-18 season.
